Draft:Steven Kolb

Steven Kolb (born 1961) is an American fashion industry executive who has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) since 2011, having first joined the organization in 2006.[1][2]

Early life and education

Kolb was born in 1961 and grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey.[3] He studied communications in college and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) and a Master of Public Administration from New York University.[4][5]

Career

Before joining the CFDA, Kolb held senior positions at the American Cancer Society, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA), and MTV Networks International, where he served as Executive Director of the Staying Alive Foundation.[6]

Kolb joined the CFDA in 2006 and was named CEO in 2011.[7] He oversees the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Geoffrey Beene Scholarship program, and the CFDA Fashion Awards.[8]

Under his leadership, the organization's annual budget grew from roughly $2.5 million to about $20 million.[9] Kolb also led CFDA's acquisition of the Fashion Calendar and has been involved in organizing New York Fashion Week. Following the #MeToo movement, he expanded the CFDA Health Initiative into the Initiative for Health, Safety, and Diversity, which encourages designers to work only with models aged 18 and older.[10] He also helped establish the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative, a fund supporting New York City's garment manufacturing sector.[11]

More recently, Kolb has overseen the Next Thread Initiative, a $6.25 million, three-year partnership between the CFDA Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund launched in 2025 to fund sustainable-design awards, student scholarships, and storytelling programs.[12] He also oversees the CFDA | Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant, supporting emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander designers, and partnered with Tiffany & Co. to launch the Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer Award.[13] In 2026, to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, Kolb led the CFDA's United Flags of Fashion installation with Vogue and Rockefeller Center, featuring American designers' reinterpretations of state flags.[14]

Kolb has been a recurring guest judge on the reality television series Project Runway, appearing across multiple seasons since 2020.[15][16]

Kolb authored several books on fashion, including Designers on Instagram: #fashion (2015) with Kevin Systrom.[17]

Recognition

Kolb has been included in The Business of Fashion's BoF 500, an annual index profiling people shaping the global fashion industry.[18] He was named to Out magazine's list of the year's most influential LGBTQ+ leaders.[19] He received an honorary doctorate from Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) of Ferris State University for his contributions to the arts and creative industries.[20] In 2024, he was honored at the inaugural Democracy Heroes awards, presented by I Am A Voter and the Rockefeller Foundation, recognizing his work encouraging civic engagement in the fashion industry.[21]

Personal life

Kolb is gay and married his husband, Jay Inkpen, in 2012.[5] He lives in New York City.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Steven Kolb". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  2. ^ "Steven Kolb - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  3. ^ Sessums, Kevin (2021-09-09). "Strong Suit: Steven Kolb Is Not Your Typical CEO". Grazia USA. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  4. ^ "Steven Kolb". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  5. ^ a b Sessums, Kevin (2021-09-09). "Strong Suit: Steven Kolb Is Not Your Typical CEO". Grazia USA. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  6. ^ "Steven Kolb - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  7. ^ "Council of Fashion Designers of America". Wikipedia.
  8. ^ "Steven Kolb". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  9. ^ Nast, Condé (2015-07-06). "How Being a Fashion Outsider Has Worked to Steven Kolb's Advantage at the CFDA". Fashionista. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  10. ^ "Steven Kolb". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  11. ^ "Steven Kolb". Savannah College of Art and Design. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  12. ^ "CFDA and Bezos Earth Fund Join Forces On The Next Thread Initiative". CFDA. 2025-10-30. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  13. ^ "A Letter from Steven Kolb". CFDA. 2024-12-27. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  14. ^ "Steven Kolb". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  15. ^ "Project Runway season 20". Wikipedia.
  16. ^ "Steven Kolb - Project Runway". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
  17. ^ "Council of Fashion Designers of America". Wikipedia.
  18. ^ "Steven Kolb". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  19. ^ "Steven Kolb". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  20. ^ "Steven Kolb". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  21. ^ "Steven Kolb Honored at Democracy Heroes Launch for CFDA's Important Civic Work". CFDA. 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  22. ^ "Steven Kolb: The Outsider Who Runs American Fashion". The New Maturity (Podcast). 2026-05-13. Retrieved 2026-07-06.

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