Who Owns Steve Madden?

Steve Madden started the company in 1990 with about $1,100, selling platform shoes out of the trunk of his car to Manhattan boutiques. The timing hit the early-1990s chunky-heel revival, and styles like the Mary Lou and Slinky became defining looks of the decade.

The company went public on the NASDAQ in December 1993 and used the capital to build a wholesale business supplying department stores and mall chains. Through the 1990s the brand became synonymous with trend-fast footwear: styles moved from runway observation to store shelves in weeks.

The founder's legal troubles interrupted the story. In 2002 Steve Madden was convicted of securities fraud and money laundering tied to the Stratton Oakmont stock-manipulation scheme, and he served 41 months in federal prison, released in 2008. He returned to the company under a settlement that removed him from officer and director roles while keeping him as creative chief. His 2017 memoir, The Cobbler, detailed the episode.

Steven Madden, Ltd. expanded beyond the namesake line through acquisition: Betsey Johnson in 2010, Big Buddha, Blondo, and Dolce Vita in 2014, GREATS in 2019, and BB Dakota. The largest deal came in May 2025, when the company completed its acquisition of British footwear brand Kurt Geiger for approximately $360 million, its biggest portfolio addition to date. Fiscal 2025 revenue reached $2.53 billion, up 11 percent year over year on the Kurt Geiger contribution, though net income fell to $44.7 million amid tariff costs and integration expenses.