If there’s one factor designer Steve Madden is aware of tips on how to do, it’s work a platform! Whether or not it’s a platform shoe or making a particular look on style podcast, Madden proves precisely why he’s been profitable within the style trade for therefore lengthy. After clips from a latest interview went viral, longtime followers of the Madden model are lastly getting a take a look at the face behind the shoe.
The 67-year-old joined “The Chopping Room Flooring” podcast for a deep dive into his model and his life story. Though many of us had been shocked at Madden revealing his time in jail or evaluating his model’s “dupes” to The Beatles copying Black music, what caught many Black people off guard is how the style designer appeared.
Wearing a black baseball cap and shirt, Madden’s stocky construct and nearly intimidating facial expressions caught followers off guard. For those who didn’t know he was the beloved clothier, you’d assume he was an actor in a gangster film or perhaps a soccer participant.
“I don’t know what I used to be anticipating Steve Madden to seem like, however after seeing these interviews, it wasn’t that,” @boujeebrownskin stated on TikTok. “Now, I absolutely perceive why he’s been in a position to get away with knocking off folks’s exhibits for years. All people’s frightened of him!”
@blaqueword joked Madden “look[s] like he’s very comfy on a MLK BLVD. Like his household been in that neighborhood because it was Irish solely. One person, @cb89_, even known as him “The Suge Knight of shoe design.”
It’s not that Madden hides his face from the world. Actually, he has made a number of crimson carpet appearances through the years, however after the designer went to jail for cash laundering in 2002, he took a step again from the highlight.
The designer spoke about his time in jail on “The Chopping Room Flooring.” He stated, “I spent quite a lot of time with younger African Individuals in jail.” Madden continued that his expertise was “terrible,” including the meals and never being involved with family members had been among the many worst components. It wasn’t all unhealthy, nevertheless, as Madden defined he made fairly just a few buddies in jail. And even has a few of them working for him right now.
The designer acknowledged his dedication to creating cheaper “dupes” of the most popular style kinds plus the 2 and a half years behind bars offers him some “avenue cred” inside the Black group. On TikTok, many Black people stated they’ll proceed to assist his model simply because Madden looks as if a cool man.
“He looks as if the kind of individual I’d need to hand round,” @sethobriengreen stated. “His appreciation for Black folks— it appears real in my e book.” @miss_laurendo youneedthat27 commented, “HOW POWERFUL IS IT FOR ONE RACE TO INFLUENCE A DESIGNER STEVE IS HIM.”
Other people like @lanaladonna known as Madden’s interview “the very best PR that Steve Madden may’ve did!” It appears just like the designer gained again the hearts of many Black customers after his podcast look. If solely he may make his sneakers slightly extra comfy…