Cos Launches Investigation Into Fashion Week Altercation

Cos, the fashion retailer, has launched an investigation into an incident that occurred during its New York Fashion Week show, where Steven Kolb, the head of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), physically intervened in a protest.

Kolb was subsequently suspended from his role at the CFDA after video footage emerged showing him wrestling a PETA protester to the ground and attempting to cover another protester's mouth. The activists were demonstrating against the use of wool in fashion during the Cos runway presentation on Sunday.

In a statement, a representative for Cos's parent company, H&M, said, "The incident at the show should have been prevented from escalating and that is why we are investigating what happened with the teams involved." The company added, "We respect everyone’s right to express their views and believe everyone should be treated with care and respect." Cos also affirmed its commitment to animal welfare, stating, "Animal welfare is very important to us, and we agree with PETA that no animals should be harmed to make fashion."

Daniel Herrmann, managing director of Cos, was also seen in the video grabbing a female protester's arm. The company's statement also addressed this, noting, "We are deeply sorry for what our guests, participants, and viewers of the show experienced."

Following the incident, Kolb was placed on leave from the CFDA. He later issued a statement acknowledging his inappropriate reaction, saying, "I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today. It wasn’t my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation."

Industry figures have offered varied reactions. Designer Dennis Basso suggested Kolb might have overreacted but was acting to protect designers. He also criticized the protesters' methods as "unorderly, incorrect and inappropriate."

Diane von Furstenberg, former chairwoman of the CFDA, expressed sadness over the event, noting Kolb's vegan lifestyle and past advocacy against fur. "He wanted to defend the brand. I’m not excusing him. The first thing I said is, ‘you have to apologize.’ But it hurts me,” she told Page Six.

PETA has indicated plans to file a police report and has requested a meeting with Kolb to share evidence of alleged animal abuse in the wool industry. The CFDA has stated its commitment to respectful dialogue with dissenting voices and to advancing the American fashion industry while upholding its values.