Steve Madden

Steve Madden is easily America's most successful shoe designer, and the founder and former CEO of Steve Madden Ltd., a footwear company.

Considered the fashion footwear mogul of the 21st century, Madden has been responsible for the design and marketing of the company's trendsetting shoes for the past two decades. His vision to give young, fashion forward women a unique way to express their individuality through style resulted in millions of customers worldwide and propelled his designs to the forefront of the fashion industry.

In 1990, with a mere $1,100 in his bank account, Madden started crafting shoe designs from his Queens-based factory and the Steve Madden brand was born. With sheer guts, years of experience in the footwear industry, and unique creative designs, Steve Madden formed his own successful enterprise.

A year later, Madden introduced a redefined version of platform shoes, resulting in one of the most spectacular success stories in the early 1990's. Inspired by his favorite rock and roll stars of the 1970s, the thick, chunky heel became Steve Madden's signature and a phenomenon in women's shoes.