US fashion council boss resigns after restraining protesters at New York runway show

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/File

The longtime chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced Friday that he is stepping down, days after he was filmed physically restraining two protesters during an altercation at a New York runway show.

“I am enormously proud of what we have built together and believe this is the right moment for both me and the organization to begin a new chapter,” Steven Kolb said in a statement.

Kolb is stepping down after two decades leading the council, which is known as the fashion industry’s main trade organization.

The incident Sunday involved the top fashion executive forcibly restraining two employees of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and putting his hands over their mouths at the runway show for Cos, a brand owned by H&M. It quickly stunned many in the fashion world.

Steven Kolb, the CEO and President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, has apologized after an altercation with animal rights protesters at a runway show. Video appears to show Kolb restraining one of the protesters after she got up to interrupt a runway.

Kolb, who is well known and respected in the New York fashion world, earlier apologized for his actions.

He also had announced he was taking a leave from his job pending an investigation.

CFDA described Kolb as a “dedicated leader and tireless champion of American fashion.”

“We respect Steven’s decision to step down and are grateful for his many years of leadership and service to the CFDA and our industry,” the association said in a statement on social media.

Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

Moira Colley, senior director of media relations for PETA in New York, said earlier in the week that the group planned to meet with Kolb to discuss ending the use of wool and animal skins in clothing.

The organization had initially planned on filing a police report against Kolb, but changed course after visiting police and consulting attorneys.

PETA issued a statement after Kolb’s announcement Friday, saying the group still planned to meet with him and “hopefully others in the industry will meet and take meaningful steps to stop this epidemic of cruelty to animals.”

The group has also recognized Kolb’s previous involvement in getting fur banned from runway shows on the CFDA schedule.

埃文·阿戈斯蒂尼/Invision/美联社/文件

美国时装设计师协会的长期首席执行官周五宣布辞职。几天前，他被拍到在纽约一场时装秀上与两名抗议者发生冲突时，用武力制止了他们。

史蒂文·科尔布在一份声明中表示：“我为我们共同取得的成就感到无比自豪，并相信现在是我和组织开启新篇章的合适时机。”

科尔布在领导该委员会二十年后卸任，该委员会被誉为时尚行业的主要贸易组织。

周日发生的这起事件中，一位时尚界高管在H&M旗下品牌Cos的时装秀上，强行控制住两名善待动物组织（PETA）的员工，并用手捂住他们的嘴。此事迅速震惊了时尚界。

美国时装设计师协会首席执行官兼主席史蒂文·科尔布在时装秀上与动物权利抗议者发生冲突后公开道歉。视频显示，一名抗议者起身打断走秀后，科尔布制止了她。

在纽约时尚界享有盛名和尊敬的科尔布此前已为自己的行为道歉。

他还宣布，在接受调查期间，他将暂时离职。

美国时装设计师协会 (CFDA) 将 Kolb 描述为“一位尽职尽责的领导者和美国时尚界不知疲倦的捍卫者”。

“我们尊重史蒂文辞职的决定，并感谢他多年来对美国时装设计师协会和我们行业的领导和服务，”该协会在社交媒体上发表声明称。

Caitlin Ochs/路透社

纽约 PETA 媒体关系高级主管莫伊拉·科利本周早些时候表示，该组织计划与科尔布会面，讨论停止在服装中使用羊毛和动物皮毛的问题。

该组织最初计划对科尔布提起警方诉讼，但在拜访警方并咨询律师后改变了主意。

在科尔布周五宣布这一消息后，PETA 发表了一份声明，称该组织仍计划与他会面，“希望业内其他人也能会面，并采取切实有效的措施来制止这种虐待动物的流行病”。

该组织还认可了科尔布此前在推动美国时装设计师协会（CFDA）禁止在时装秀上使用皮草方面所做出的贡献。