The Longtime Chief Executive Officer and President Steps Down Following a Leave of Absence, Ending a Tenure That Expanded the Organization’s Role Across New York Fashion Week, Emerging Talent and Industry Support
Steven Kolb has resigned as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, bringing an abrupt end to a 20-year tenure at one of American fashion’s most influential industry organizations.
Kolb’s resignation comes days after the CFDA Board of Directors placed him on leave following an incident at the Cos fashion show during New York Fashion Week, where he physically restrained two PETA protesters who disrupted the runway to protest the use of wool.
“After 20 years leading the CFDA, I have made the difficult decision to step down as CEO and president,” Kolb said in a statement Friday. “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.”
The incident took place Sunday at WSA in New York, when protesters entered the Cos runway. Video of the encounter, which subsequently circulated widely on social media, showed Kolb intervening physically rather than leaving the protesters to event security.
Kolb acknowledged later that day that his response had been inappropriate. He subsequently issued a more extensive public apology, taking responsibility for his actions and stating, “My actions were wrong and I am deeply sorry.”
“There is no justification for physically restraining another person,” he added.
PETA President Tracy Reiman subsequently wrote to Kolb offering to meet, while the CFDA Board placed him on leave Monday. His resignation followed four days later.
While the incident precipitated Kolb’s departure, his resignation also closes one of the longest leadership chapters in contemporary American fashion.
Kolb joined the CFDA as Executive Director in 2006, working initially alongside then-President Diane von Furstenberg. Over the following two decades, the organization expanded beyond its membership and awards programs to take on a broader role supporting designers, New York Fashion Week, manufacturing, scholarships and emerging talent.
One of the most consequential developments came in 2014, when the CFDA acquired the Fashion Calendar. The move ultimately placed the organization in charge of the Official New York Fashion Week Schedule, giving it a central role in coordinating one of the industry’s most important commercial and cultural events. The CFDA subsequently launched New York Fashion Week: Men’s in 2015 and continued developing programs designed to broaden access to and international awareness of the week.
Kolb’s tenure also coincided with increased emphasis on the business infrastructure surrounding American designers. The CFDA established its Business Services Network shortly after his arrival, while initiatives developed during his leadership included the Fashion Incubator, the Fashion Law Institute with Fordham Law School and the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative.
Launched in 2013 with the New York City Economic Development Corporation and industry partners, the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative was created to preserve and strengthen New York’s garment manufacturing base. The program grew into a $14 million public-private partnership by 2019, and the CFDA says grants have since reached 54 factories and positively affected more than 2,000 jobs.
Supporting emerging designers remained another central part of the organization’s work. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund was established before Kolb joined the organization, but continued to develop during his tenure alongside an expanding portfolio of scholarships, mentorship and professional-development initiatives.
The organization also became more active in addressing broader structural issues within the industry. In 2019, the CFDA and PVH developed a briefing examining diversity and inclusion in American fashion. Two years later, the organization established IMPACT, an initiative intended to identify, connect and support Black and Brown creatives and fashion professionals.
Perhaps the clearest test of the CFDA’s expanded role came during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With designers, independent retailers and manufacturers facing widespread disruption, the CFDA and Vogue launched A Common Thread, redirecting resources toward emergency industry support. The initiative raised approximately $5 million, while the CFDA supported PPE production, provided business resources and worked with allies in Washington to advocate for fashion businesses during negotiations over federal relief.
The organization continued broadening its activities in Kolb’s final years. In 2023, it distributed $380,000 in scholarships and staged 69 shows on the Official New York Fashion Week Schedule while expanding its travel fund. In 2024, more than 70 percent of scholarship recipients came from underrepresented communities.
By 2025, the CFDA reported that it had strengthened its financial position, exceeded fundraising goals and grown its fund balance. It also relaunched the Fashion Calendar and CFDA website while expanding initiatives around New York Fashion Week and American fashion manufacturing.
In his resignation statement, Kolb pointed to that broader record.
“Over the past two decades, we strengthened the organization financially, expanded its programs and partnerships, increased our philanthropic and scholarship initiatives, supported generations of emerging designers, advanced sustainability and circularity, created opportunities for creatives from underrepresented communities, supported and elevated New York Fashion Week and broadened the CFDA’s international and global reach,” he said.
“What I am most proud of is the impact we have had on American designers — supporting creativity and helping businesses grow.”
Kolb also acknowledged the four CFDA leaders he worked alongside during his tenure: Stan Herman, Diane von Furstenberg, Tom Ford and current Chairman Thom Browne.
The CFDA Board recognized Kolb’s broader contribution while accepting his decision to leave.
“Steven Kolb has been a dedicated leader and tireless champion of American fashion throughout his more than two decades at the CFDA, including 15 years as CEO,” the Board said in a statement. “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 organization said Kolb leaves the CFDA with a clear mission and team in place as it considers its next chapter.
No successor has yet been announced.
For the CFDA, the transition comes at a consequential moment. The organization has grown considerably in scope during Kolb’s two decades, becoming not only an advocate for American designers but an important piece of the infrastructure connecting New York Fashion Week, emerging talent, manufacturing, education and the business of American fashion.
Kolb’s departure arrived suddenly. The institution he leaves behind, however, was built over a much longer arc.