According to the bookazine Women’s Shoes: The History and the Passion, “American women spend about $18 billion a year on shoes and a British survey concluded that during her lifetime a woman will spend $25,000 on them.” Filipino women, at the risk of being dismissed as frivolous or Imeldific, will never reveal how many pairs she owns.
“There’s no such thing as too many shoes,” American shoe magnate Steve Madden declares on his Twitter profile, slyly encouraging an easily swayed market to collect more pairs. Madden is confident that women will love his shoes as he considers his creative designs unique, and said they are inspired by “rock and roll, fused with a jolt of sex appeal and urban edge.”
Madden built his company in 1990 in Queens, New York, with a measly $1,100 in capital. There were rough patches along the way, like his involvement with stockbroker Jordan Belfort and the brokerage Stratton Oakmont. This episode became fodder for the film The Wolf of Wall Street, with Dustin Hoffman’s son Jake portraying him as “too nerdy.” As of 2014, his global company is now worth $2.3 billion.
Steve Madden’s international influence reaches the Philippines, of course. Exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc., Steve Madden stores are found in Shangri-La Plaza, Eastwood Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Magnolia, Robinsons Place Midtown and Ayala Center Cebu.
The Shang location was recently unveiled as a Canal Street concept store, evoking the industrial-edge vibe of New York’s street-art scenes. The store is adorned with graffiti, LED lights, stencil art, cityscapes and pulsating music. The unveiling was graced by Kiki Zinycz, the vice president of Southeast Asia for Global Retail Inc., the regional licensee of Steve Madden Group.
Metal-framed cubes, benches and glass shelves hold the latest footwear styles that Steve Madden hopes will find favor among the local fashionistas.
Enticing styles on display are flat sandals with floral prints and zipper details; sneakers with metallic finishes and espadrille outsoles; cheeky, chic and chunky block heels; lace-up booties; soaring heels with delicate straps; wedges that sparkle; and platforms with rhinestones.
The brand also has a celebrity collaborator, Iggy Azalea, who directed her own Steve Madden campaign. A few months back, the controversial hip-hop artist posted on Instagram: “…Im incredibly proud of the shoes we’ve made together, as well as these images that I’ve been anxiously waiting to share with you all…I love Steve Madden as an individual and as a company. I have three more seasons I’m making with these guys and I’m going to enjoy it…it comes out tomorrow and I hope you guys enjoy it because I put my heart and soul into them!” na