We live in a world where everyone wants a taste of luxury, but not everyone can afford it. Because of this, the trend of affordable luxury is on the rise and Steve Madden is one of the brands thriving in this area.

However, it’s not just because the brand offers good quality products or is somewhat cheaper than luxury brands. The real attraction is that Steve Madden offers ‘duplicates’ of high-end luxury brands (You can debate this, but it’s true,

It’s like wearing Prada heels at Steve Madden prices. In the age of fast fashion and the race to stay relevant, Steve Madden, once a favorite of celebrities, has adopted this strategy, and it’s also taken off on social media.

A look back

In 1990, American designer Steve Madden launched his namesake brand with a modest investment of $1,100. His keen eye for style and trendsetting designs soon earned the brand iconic status in the footwear industry.

However, the brand faced major challenges when designer Steve Madden pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering charges.

After his sentence was completed, the brand underwent a renaissance and its popularity and profits grew year after year.

Battle of the brands

Despite its success, Steve Madden has not been free from troubles. The brand is often accused of copying high-end designer styles and selling them at a much lower price.

This practice, known as ‘duplicating’ or ‘knock-offs’, involves copying the aesthetics and design elements of luxury brands without the high price tag.

The brand’s creativity has been both praised and questioned. Over the past few years, it has faced several lawsuits from luxury bands who have alleged that Steve Madden has copied their designs.

It was in 2009 when Balenciaga took legal action against Steve Madden over its Lego shoes. Later in 2014, Balenciaga also accused Steve Madden of scamming its motorcycle bag.

Alexander McQueen also sued the brand in 2009 for allegedly copying his bootie design.

Aquazzura, Skechers, Valentino, YSL, and Converse are just some of the brands that have taken legal action against Steve Madden over the past few years.

Cheater Culture

Designer Aparajita Toor, founder of her eponymous footwear brand, says the phenomenon has been going on in the industry for ages. So, technically there is nothing new in the process of copying or counterfeiting other brands or products.

“The nature of the fashion industry has always been about reinventing popular trends and themes from the past. Earlier, fast fashion brands would shamelessly copy luxury fashion brands in the name of being inspired, but now they create exact replicas using cheaper and lower quality materials,” she explains. india today,

The designer further added, “Everyone wants a piece of the cake without any effort, and ethics are not on the menu, so when a product goes viral, the sole aim of copycats is to recreate the product in its most similar form, where quality is heavily compromised, and the cost is a fraction of the original.”

Further, designer Pooja Choudhary, Founder, Lavanya The Label, mentioned that the rise of dupe culture can be attributed to social media influencers who upload reels and videos that share affordable alternatives to luxury brands, and people are attracted to such posts due to the cheap prices and easy accessibility.

Fashionable but at an affordable price

“As the age of social media creates a constant pressure to stay in trend, counterfeit products offer people a way to wear branded attire without breaking the bank. This poses a huge challenge for genuine brands who are working hard to ensure quality, high standards and attention to every detail, which is sorely lacking in this counterfeit culture,” says Chowdhary.

Aparajita Toor further adds that the culture of fraud is no longer a symbol of flattery but rather a symbol of harming the brand or the designer.

The designer explained that nowadays new trends emerge faster than the rising sun and consumers are more indecisive and unsure than ever about what they really want. Hence, investing in high-quality original products that provide long-term value has lost its relevance.

But can you blame consumers entirely for this? We’ve all read how luxury brands like Dior and Armani are making handbags for €53 (roughly Rs. 4,952) and €93 (roughly Rs. 8,690) and selling them for €2,600 (roughly Rs. 2,42,964) and €1,800 (roughly Rs. 1,68,206), respectively.

It’s no wonder fashion enthusiasts are drawn to YouTuber Volkan Yilmaz, better known as Tanner Leatherstein, who analyzes luxury bags to reveal their real price.

Is this a good move for SM?

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Steve Madden has strategically positioned itself as a brand that offers trendy, accessible fashion. By quickly adopting the latest trends, it has been able to make a good name among consumers who want the luxury look without the high cost.

A much-loved celebrity favourite, Steve Madden has now become a counterfeit brand, and this perception has also been fuelled by fashion influencers, who often highlight the similarities between Steve Madden products and those of high-end designers.

One can argue that this image has been both negative and positive for the brand. It has undoubtedly helped Steve Madden maintain its popularity and stay relevant. But on the other hand, the question of creativity and originality also comes up.