Talk about the perfect fusion of sass, zeal and creativity, and designer Steve Madden is the man who comes to mind. A country music lover and father of three, the shoe designer has had a whirlwind career.
Often seen in a loose tee and cap, Steve Madden is the founder and chief designer of the billion-dollar shoe business that carries his name.
Questioning his own legacy in his Netflix documentary, Maddman: The Steve Madden Story, is a tell-all story on his dramatic life. “I always say we are only as sick as our secrets. I wanted to get it all out there and tell my story while I could still remember it,” the shoe mogul tells Gulf News tabloid!.
Growing up in Cedarhust, Long Island, Madden’s first job as a teenager was at a shoe store at a time when platform shoes reigned the industry. Post a quick and unhealthy stint in college in Florida, Madden returned to working in basements and selling shoes to strangers at Jildor for two years. Inspired by the owner, Jack Benienfild, Madden acknowledges him as the greatest man he’s ever known in the 77-minute long documentary.
Madden was exposed to the fashion world when he moved to the Big Apple and took on his next job at l.J. Simone Shoes. Portraying the trials and tribulations of his life, in the film he shares his experiences and his keen interest in every aspect of the shoe business — from designing shoes to selling them to the masses.
Crazily enough, he opened his first store with his building doorman, David Cristobal, who would drive Madden around the city in his vintage car, while the budding mogul tried to establish his newly minted brand. What stands out in the film is his adherence to dignity for labour so evident in this decision.
Maddman also takes us behind the scenes of the tricks and styles in making the ultimate Madden shoes.
Inspired by shoe designer and co-founder of Nine West, Vince Camuto, Steve firmly believed that a man’s status is judged by the shoes he wears.
From here, the Madden story is pure Hollywood. Designing breakthrough styles like the Marilyn and the Marylouon in the early 90s, his intention was to create a brand that would replace the product. “Our customer knows they can go into a Steve Madden store and find exactly what they are looking for whether that be a sneaker, sandal or boot,” he says.
Remaining on the top of the ever-changing trends in the fashion industry was the key to his success. Complacent, he is not.
Asked about the impending trend in the fashion industry, he’s off the bat with the growing obsession for sneakers.
With 310 stores in 76 countries, Madden’s business acumen is as sharp and edgy as it was when he first set up the brand in 1990.
“From a business perspective we have certain goals, but I still get excited when I’m in an elevator or on the street and see women wearing our shoes — I want everyone in Steve Madden!” he says.
For somebody who began the company with only $1,100 (Dh4,039), Madden is disarmingly modest. “I like to be a part of everything, but you have to have good people that you work with and I’m fortunate to be surrounded by the best,” he says.
But ultimately, he’s a realist: “The Steve Madden girl today has a sense of humour, knows what looks good and is confident and smart because she recognises great value.”
Madden’s clientele may include the who’s who of the industry — from Cardi B to Taylor Swift to Tyra Banks — but he still considers leading sneaker brands including Adidas, Vans and Nike as his biggest competitors.
At 60, his goals remain simple: “I’m just trying to evolve and become a better father and businessman,” he says.
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Don’t miss it
Maddman: The Steve Madden Story is now streaming on Netflix.
— Simran Kanal is an intern at Gulf News.
