PETA Protest Disrupts COS NYFW Show as CFDA Chief Physically Restrains Activists

On September 13, PETA activists disrupted COS’s Fall/Winter 2026 runway show during New York Fashion Week, protesting the fashion industry’s use of wool.

Footage captured at the event shows Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, physically restraining activists as they attempted to enter the runway.

Summary

Six Activists Protested the Use of Wool

The show was held at the WSA building in Manhattan’s Financial District.

Six PETA activists entered the runway at different points during the presentation, holding signs that read, “Sheep Beaten and Bloodied for Wool. Don’t Buy It,” while calling on COS and its parent company, H&M Group, to stop using wool.

Footage recorded by Fashionista shows Kolb personally intervening with at least two activists. He can be seen removing protest signs, placing his hands over the protesters’ mouths or faces and, in one instance, holding a female activist on the floor while wrapping his legs around her to restrain her.

He was also filmed blocking another activist from entering the runway. The remaining protesters were escorted from the venue by security personnel.

Despite several interruptions, the show continued as scheduled.

Kolb Acknowledges His Response Was Inappropriate

After footage of the confrontation circulated across social media, Kolb issued a statement to WWD and on his Instagram Stories.

“I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today,” he said, acknowledging that it had not been his place to intervene and that security should have handled the situation.

The CFDA subsequently issued its own statement, saying Kolb had fully acknowledged that he responded inappropriately and that the matter should have been handled by security.

As the organization that owns and operates New York Fashion Week’s official schedule, the CFDA holds a central position within the American fashion industry. Kolb’s decision to intervene personally instead of leaving the situation to security prompted criticism both within and beyond the fashion community.

PETA Says It Filed a Police Report

Following the incident, PETA alleged that two of its activists had been assaulted by Kolb.

According to the organization, Kolb held a female activist on the floor, wrapped a leg around her and covered her mouth and nose with his hands. PETA also alleged that he shoved another member who was filming the runway protest and covered the activist’s face with his hand.

PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk condemned the response, arguing that violence had been used to silence those drawing attention to the treatment of sheep in the wool industry. The organization is calling on H&M and COS to remove wool from their collections and urging consumers to shop elsewhere until they do.

PETA told The Washington Post that it had filed a police report and was consulting with its lawyers over possible further action.

As of publication, there has been no confirmation that Kolb has been arrested or charged. PETA’s characterization of the incident as an assault, as well as its allegation that one activist’s breathing was restricted, remains the organization’s account and has not been established as a legal finding.

H&M Group’s Wool Supply Chain Under Scrutiny

The protest formed part of PETA’s broader campaign calling on H&M Group to stop using wool.

In May 2026, PETA Asia released investigative footage recorded at a wool farm in South Africa. According to the organization, the footage documented workers kicking and hitting sheep, dragging them by their legs and injuring them during rough shearing.

The farm was certified under both NATIVA and the Responsible Wool Standard, or RWS. PETA said it sold wool through a broker that also supplies H&M Group.

Textile Exchange, which owns and manages the RWS, later announced that an investigation conducted by a third-party certification body had identified a critical nonconformity at a South African wool farm. The farm’s RWS certification was subsequently suspended.

However, it has not been publicly established that the farm directly supplied wool to H&M Group or COS. There is also no evidence that wool from the farm was used in any of the garments presented on the COS runway.

COS Outlines Its Certified Wool Policy

COS did not immediately respond to media requests for comment regarding the protest or Kolb’s actions.

On its website, the brand states that it uses materials including NATIVA-certified wool, recycled wool and RWS-certified wool. COS also says it works closely with suppliers to select materials based on quality, purpose and longevity.

Beginning with the September 2026 season, the CFDA prohibited real animal fur from collections appearing on the Official NYFW Schedule. The policy applies to fur obtained from animals killed specifically for their pelts, but it does not currently prohibit wool.

The incident has intensified questions surrounding animal-derived materials and the credibility of fashion’s certification systems. It has also raised broader concerns about runway security, the appropriate response to protests and the responsibilities of those in leadership positions across the industry.

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