We got to interview mega designer Steve Madden on his first trip to Utah. He is in town for Sundance and an event at Nordstrom at Fashion Place Mall. He was much more down to earth than we were expecting. In Brooke’s words, “the complete opposite of Anna Wintour”.
Steve told us what it takes to start your own company, the trend he hates, and what he thinks of working with the Olsen twins.
You can read the full interview below.
B&B: IT’S YOUR FIRST TRIP TO SALT LAKE CITY, WHAT DO YOU THINK SO FAR?
SM: It’s great, I’m staying in Park City and it is beautiful.
B&B: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHILE YOU’RE HERE?
SM: We are just going to catch a few films, I leave Monday night.
B&B: THERE IS A HUGE CROWD DOWNSTAIRS WAITING TO MEET YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HAVING SUCH A HUGE FAN BASE IN UTAH?
SM: It’s unbelievable, there was a nice little article written about me yesterday in the Salt Lake Tribune, it’s great, it’s very nice. I’ve always thought it was a fashionable town. It really is. I always notice that, girls from Salt Lake are really cool.
(***Steve is happily married with 3 kids, so pretty sure he was being serious here and not just pouring on the sugar 🙂 ).
B&B: HOW DID YOU START YOUR BUSINESS?
SM: I started my business with $1,100 and I decided if it was 40 pairs of shoes I was going to sell that was it, and then it just pyramided.
B&B: HOW DO YOU STAY SO CONSISTENT? IT SEEMS LIKE NO MATTER THE YEAR OR SEASON, STEVE MADDEN IS ALWAYS IN STYLE.
SM: We’re insecure so we’re always working hard.
B&B: WHO DO YOU HAVE IN MIND WHEN YOU ARE DESIGNING?
SM: People that I work with, or more democratic, I don’t think of any stars or celebrities, I just try to make shoes people like to wear.
B&B: FAVORITE TREND?
SM: I like what you’re wearing.
(***He said this to Brooke was wearing a pair of Steve Madden studded boots)
B&B: ONE TREND YOU ARE SICK OF?
SM: Platform pumps. They are starting to look a little old to me. We sell them in our stores, but they’re starting to look a little old.
B&B: A TREND YOU WISH WOULD DISAPPEAR FOREVER?
SM: Sneakers
B&B: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF BLOGGERS?
SM: I love it, it’s a great trend. Things are changing and it’s fine. I’m not a big “I like the old days” kind of guy. I would rather look at Wikipedia than the Encyclopedia. By the way, Wikipedia has my age wrong, i’m really 56, but Wikipedia says i’m 55.
B&B: WHAT IS A NORMAL DAY LIKE?
SM: I have a lot on my plate, but everybody has a lot on their plate and I really mean that. Whatever someone has going on in their life is important to them. I have a pretty big company and I have three young kids.
B&B: DO YOUR KIDS LIKE YOUR SHOES?
SM: My daughter, the darling who is named after me loves Skechers. (Face palm then laughs)
(*** By the way, his daughter is 6 years old.)
Then Steve turned the tables and asked us a few questions.
SM: You’re identical?
B&B: YES.
SM: Are the Olsens identical? (He works with Mary-Kate and Ashley on a very regular basis)
B&B: NO, THEY’RE FRATERNAL (WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE WERE MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY GROWING UP)
SM: Well, the Olsens look 100% more alike than you to do. You look very different from each other.
So, as you can tell Steve is a down to earth, nice and normal guy. The best part is that he is one of maybe three people in the world that think we look nothing alike 🙂
