Style and quality: the winning mix of Steve Madden
It was 1990 when designer Steve Madden founded his own brand in New York. Since then it has become a global brand, distributed overseas and since 2018 also in Italy to share its lifestyle with many shoe-addicts both through the physical shopping experience in stores and through e-commerce, a growing channel for the company, as explained by Carolina Cantoni of ASAP, the Italian showroom that distributes Steve Madden.
In an industry, such as fashion, where there is a great deal of competition, e-commerce must also have an edge. How does Steve Madden propose itself? In the competitive fashion industry, Steve Madden’s e-commerce stands out for its eye-catching and intuitive design, reflecting the brand’s distinctive style. Offering a wide selection of high-quality products, including footwear, handbags and accessories, the brand strives to meet the needs of a variety of customers. Through the use of advanced data and technology, e-commerce offers a personalized shopping experience, suggesting relevant products based on users’ tastes. Top-notch customer service ensures a quick response to customer questions and a hassle-free shopping experience. Continuous innovation and constant research into new technologies keep Steve Madden on the cutting edge, adapting to emerging trends and consumer expectations.
What are the brand’s e-commerce strengths? Distinctive design, product assortment, personalized experience, and excellent customer service.
Today, AI is also being used for e-commerce. What do you think?
Artificial intelligence in e-commerce improves the customer experience and optimizes business operations through personalization and automation. However, it does not replace human work but complements it, as data interpretation and strategic decisions still require human capability.
How much will e-commerce have to weigh for the brand, in general, and how much the Italian market?
E-commerce is increasingly crucial for global brands, including Italian brands, as online sales continue to grow and consumer buying habits evolve. In Italy, the ecommerce market is growing steadily, but it still has wide room to develop compared to other European countries. With the spread of the Internet and the development of digital infrastructure, e-commerce is expected to become increasingly important over time. The adaptation and exploitation of e-commerce opportunities will become crucial to the success of brands both in Italy and globally.
Instead, how is retail distribution developing in stores? Physical stores remain the core business of our company, and contact with retailers is still always part of our DNA, Clearly, 2.0 storefronts have given both retailers and distributors the opportunity to increase business volume and turnover. We have a flagship store in Florence and we are making big investments to strongly sponsor the direct website as well, we do not exclude in the near future to invest in several flagship stores as well.
In how many multi-brand stores is Steve Madden distributed in Italy?
The distribution of the brand on the Italian territory is capillary, we are present in many boutiques and we work very closely with all the reference stores both in large and small towns all over Italy.
The geography of our cities is changing rapidly and has led to the closure of several stores specializing in footwear and clothing, but thanks to the importance of the brand and our decades of experience, we still manage to be present in more than 400 storefronts.
An American brand that has conquered Italy, where it has already been present for a few years: why does the Italian public like Steve Madden?
Because it has been able to conquer the Italian public thanks to its combination of distinctive style, speed of adaptation to seasonal trends, product quality, variety of offer and affordability, as well as a solid presence both online and offline.
