We live in a world where everyone wants to experience luxury but not everyone can afford it, this has led to the rise of affordable luxury and Steve Madden is one of the brands that is succeeding in this field.
But it’s not just because the brand offers high-quality products or is a little more affordable than the luxury brands – the real attraction is that Steve Madden offers “knockoffs” of luxury brands (this is debatable, but it’s true).
Buy Prada heels at Steve Madden prices. In an age of fast fashion and the race to stay relevant, the once-celeb favorite has adopted this strategy, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed on social media.
Looking Back
American designer Steve Madden launched his eponymous brand in 1990 with an investment of just $1,100. His keen sense of style and trendsetting designs quickly saw the label achieve iconic status in the footwear industry.
But the brand faced major challenges after designer Steve Madden pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering.
After he served his sentence, the brand experienced a resurgence, with popularity and profits increasing year after year.
Emily Ratajkowski (left) wearing Steve Madden sandals at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and Cardi B (right) wearing Steve Madden boots at the 2018 Alexander Wang show | Photo: Getty Images
Brand battle
Despite its success, Steve Madden hasn’t been able to stay out of trouble: The brand is often accused of copying high-end designer styles and selling them at a fraction of the cost.
Known as “fake” or “knockoff” production, this practice involves mimicking the aesthetic and design elements of luxury brands without the high price tag.
The brand’s creativity has been both praised and questioned: over the years, it has faced several lawsuits from luxury brands who claim that Steve Madden copied their designs.
This dates back to 2009 when Balenciaga filed a lawsuit against Steve Madden over Lego shoes, and later in 2014, Balenciaga also claimed that Steve Madden had copied its motorcycle bags.
Balenciaga Lego heels (left) and Steve Madden lookalike (right) | Photo: Resee.com/Pinterest
Alexander McQueen also sued the brand in 2009 for copying his boot design.
Aquazzura, Skechers, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent and Converse are some of the brands that have taken legal action against Steve Madden over the years.
A culture of deception
Aprajita Toor, founder and designer of her eponymous shoe brand, says the phenomenon has been around for a long time in the industry: copying or counterfeiting other brands and products is nothing new, technically.
“The nature of the fashion industry is such that it has always reinvented popular trends and themes of the past. Earlier, fast fashion brands would shamelessly copy luxury fashion brands under the guise of being inspired by them, but now they make blatantly identical copies using cheaper and lower quality materials,” she told India Today.
The designer continues, “Everyone wants the easy way out without putting in any effort, and ethics are not taken into consideration, so once a product goes viral, the only aim of counterfeiters is to recreate it in the most similar form, with a huge loss in quality and at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.”
Additionally, Pooja Choudhary, founder and designer of Lavanya The Label, attributes the rise of duplicator culture to social media influencers who upload reels and videos showcasing affordable alternatives to luxury brands, and people are drawn to such posts due to their affordability and availability.
Fashionable but low cost
“The social media age creates constant pressure to keep up with trends, so Dummy offers people an avenue to get designer clothes without spending a fortune. This poses a major challenge for authentic brands that work hard to deliver quality, high standards and attention to detail, which are lacking in the Dummy culture,” Choudhury added.
Aprajita Toor added that dupe culture is no longer a sign of flattery, but an act of sabotage to brands and designers.
Designers say that today, new trends emerge faster than the sunrise and consumers are more uncertain and unsure of what they really want than ever before, so investing in high-quality, original products that will provide value over the long term makes less sense.
But can the responsibility be placed entirely on the consumer? We’ve all heard the stories of luxury brands like Dior and Armani making handbags for 53 euros (roughly Rs. 4,952) and 93 euros (roughly Rs. 8,690) respectively and selling them for 2,600 euros (roughly Rs. 2,42,964) and 1,800 euros (roughly Rs. 1,68,206).
It’s no wonder fashion lovers are drawn to Volkan Yilmaz (aka Tanner Leatherstein), the YouTuber who dismantles luxury bags to reveal their true cost.
Versace platform pumps (left) and Steve Madden lookalikes (right) | Photo: Darveys/Steve Madden
Was that a good move for SM?
It’s fair to say that Steve Madden has strategically positioned itself as a brand that offers on-trend, yet affordable fashion. By quickly adapting to the latest trends, the brand has developed a reputation among consumers who want luxury without the high prices.
Steve Madden has gone from being a celebrity favourite to now being downgraded to being a fake brand, a perception reinforced by fashion influencers who frequently highlight the similarities between Steve Madden products and those of luxury designers.
Some would argue that this image has been both good and bad for the brand. It has undoubtedly helped Steve Madden stay popular and timeless. However, it also raises questions of creativity and originality.
Publisher:
Mehak Malhotra
Release date:
August 23, 2024
