June 2000
By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
If you've got a teenage daughter,
there's a good chance that you know her buddy Steve Madden.
No, Madden's not one of
the Backstreet Boys. He's even better. He's a shoe designer whose creations
are a must for the teen/young adult set. Besides his trendy footwear, which
have been kicking around since 1990, Madden's fashion emporium also includes
handbags, sunglasses, outerwear, hosiery, hats, belts and jewelry.
Though his shoes can be
as low as $25 to upwards of $150. That's a lot of babysitting money.
And in March, Madden introduced
Stevies, his fashion footwear_priced from $30 to $40_for girls aged 6 to
12.
``The Stevies line is inspired
by the Madden line,'' Madden says. ``There are similar looks that include
some of the same materials and styles, yet they are designed to be age
appropriate. Kids have many occasions to dress for, so the Stevies line
includes a higher variety of dress shoes as well as comfort and tech shoes
to fit into their active lives.
``The slogan for our advertising
campaign is, `Make your big sister jealous.' We will capture them at a
young age by wearing Stevies, and then grow them into Steve Maddens.''
The ``big sisters'' helped
generate $163 million in income for his company in 1999_up from $85.6 million
in 1998. It's no wonder he's cultivating his clientele while they're still
young.
``The girls in school like
Steve Madden's shoes,'' says Lizzy Morrison, a 17-year-old senior at Evanston
Township High School. ``I'm pretty indifferent about shoes 'cause I tend
to wear gym shoes or whatever is around. But I will say that I like his
shoes 'cause they're very comfortable, stylish and last a really long time.
You get your money's worth.''
Her sister Kristin, 20,
agrees that the shoes are a good purchase for kids on a limited budget.
``I think with Steve Maddens,
you get a quality pair of trendy shoes,'' says Kristin, a junior at the
University of California at Santa Barbara. ``I've owned a pair of brown,
platform sandals for about two years and they've lasted really well. You
have to break them in, just like any shoe, but once you've done that, they
are so comfortable.''
Madden is no ingenue to
the design world. In 1990, with barely $1,000 in his bank account, Madden
set up shop. Around the same time that Doc Martens gained popularity with
their thick soled boots and shoes, Madden earned a name for himself with
his '70s-friendly platform heels. The chunky heels gave women height without
the discomfort of teetering stilettos.
Some fashion experts believe
that Madden owes some of his success to Doc Martens, which popularized
``ugly'' shoes.
``Docs started out as orthopedic
shoes, so they were extremely well made for comfort,'' says Meg Rottman
of Style PR, a marketing agency specializing in fashion. ``No one thought
they would be considered fashionable. As a result, the have revolutionized
the way fashion is viewed today. The younger market is definitely looking
for a larger shoe as a result of Doc Martens.
``In terms of popularity,
Steve Madden's shoes are the new Doc Martens. He has done an excellent
job at giving the junior market what it was looking for_something different
from what their parents were wearing. And in terms of styling, one great
way to provide something different is with heels. Platforms are the way
to go in that respect.''
And in case any men are
feeling let out, take heart. Madden is preparing to launch a men's line
for late 2001.
Read more about Steve Madden
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