CFDA appoints Hildy Kuryk as interim CEO

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has appointed Hildy Kuryk as interim CEO following the resignation of longtime leader Steven Kolb. Kolb stepped down after controversy involving a video of him physically restraining PETA protesters during a COS runway show.

Kuryk, who will continue her work at her consultancy Artemis Strategies, previously served as Vogue’s executive director of communications from 2013 to 2017. Her appointment has drawn mixed reactions from industry insiders; while some respect her experience, others have criticized the move as further consolidation of influence by Anna Wintour, given Kuryk’s close professional ties to the Vogue editor.

The CFDA board, led by chairman Thom Browne, is working with the Karen Harvey Consulting Group to conduct a search for a permanent successor. The search process is expected to take between three and six months.