Steven Kolb, head of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, resigned following a physical altercation with PETA protesters at a Cos runway show during New York Fashion Week. Video of the incident, shared widely on social media, showed Kolb shoving a male protester and restraining a female protester. Kolb, 64, issued an apology, calling the actions "completely out of character," and accepted PETA's offer to meet and discuss their concerns.

The CFDA board, including designers such as Thom Browne, Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Kors, released a statement respecting his decision. Kolb had been placed on leave pending a review after the Sept. 18 incident. Diane von Furstenberg, former CFDA chairwoman, called him the "sweetest person in the world, vegetarian and anti-fur," but acknowledged he was wrong.

The incident occurred as Cos, owned by H&M, received financial support from the CFDA's New York Fashion Week Fund. Kolb's resignation leaves the organization seeking an immediate successor as it strives to keep New York Fashion Week relevant globally.