"Until this week, my only knowledge of Steve Madden was limited to my experience scouring the mall in high school, trying to find a pair of heels my mom and I agreed were appropriate for school dances. We’d peruse the shelves at Nordstrom and, after checking the price, quickly pivot to Steve Madden for a pair of shoes whose price reflected the fact that a 15-year-old would be stumbling like a baby deer in them for one night, then probably not pick them up until the next wedding, school dance, or whatever “glamorous” event was on my teen social calendar. After all, whatever Nordstrom shoes I thought had me looking like Zendaya in her So Kates, Steve Madden usually had an almost identical version for half the price down the hall. Now, Steve Madden is making headlines for the same reason I went to his store back in the day: his cheaper “dupes” of designer shoes.
In an episode of The Cutting Room Floor podcast, host Recho Omondi quizzed Madden on his designs, asking if he could name the original designer he duped. What impressed people most was not just that he knew the original designs but also that he didn’t shy away from the fact that Steve Madden takes inspiration from higher-priced designers. When asked how he would respond to people who call Steve Madden a knockoff brand, he said, “It’s like calling the Beatles a knockoff band because they would take a little bit from Motown and a little bit from Elvis. We design tons of shoes, but there’s been the odd little shoe that I’ve nicked here and there.”
This authenticity, combined with his referring to Steve Madden shoppers as “his girls” and pointing out the absurdity of other brands selling plastic jelly shoes for $700, launched a complete Steve Madden obsession on TikTok. A wave of pro-Steve Madden videos flooded my FYP, with people praising him for offering an attainable way to participate in designer trends and encouraging everyone to run to the Steve Madden website to support the company.
Dupes have been rampant in the past few years, but the reception was lukewarm before this interview. There were debates about the ethics of replicating other designers’ work and a general skepticism about how the quality of dupes compares to the real thing. But with this interview, the internet has taken an explicitly pro-dupe stance. Buying “knockoffs” used to be primarily a private practice. People wanted to hide that they couldn’t, or weren’t willing to, pay for the real deal, so even when asked, they’d usually hide that their items weren’t “real.” Brands also followed this golden rule. Sure, we all knew what product a drugstore brand was trying to recreate, but the brands didn’t publicly acknowledge or embrace their reputation as copycat brands like Madden is now. This shift in dupe discourse is more than a one-off viral moment. The internet’s support of Steve Madden reveals just how much the current economic volatility is impacting our shopping habits and the cultural conversation surrounding shopping.
“The internet’s support of Steve Madden reveals just how much the current economic volatility is impacting our shopping habits and the cultural conversation surrounding shopping.”
It’s no coincidence that with inflation rising and the impacts of tariffs starting to show in increasing prices, everyone online is suddenly shamelessly embracing dupes. A study by McKinsey & Company revealed that consumers are worried about rising prices and, in response, are cutting back discretionary spending across categories. Gen X and Gen Z are specifically cutting back in categories such as apparel, electronics, and, you guessed it, footwear. I can’t lie; I’d die to have the original Miu Miu kitten heels, but if I’m already debating whether an iced latte from my favorite coffee shop is in the budget, it’s safe to say there’s no room for designer clothes in my budget or closet.
We would all love to buy higher-end, higher-quality products that are a better investment in the long run, but it’s simply not justifiable when everyday items are so much more expensive. Even the prices of more affordable “dupe” options are rising. Elf, widely known as one of the most inexpensive makeup brands and for dupes like the Power Grip Primer and Halo Glow Liquid Filter, just announced that their prices will go up by $1 due to inflation and tariffs. Madden also said in the podcast that his shoe prices will increase because of tariffs. The state of our economy is such that even the affordable versions of products are becoming less and less attainable for the everyday person. When consumers do want to buy something, if there’s a nearly exact replica of what’s on their wishlist for half the price, it’s not so much an active choice as it is the only option.
“…if I’m already debating whether an iced latte from my favorite coffee shop is in the budget, it’s safe to say there’s no room for designer clothes in my budget or closet.”
Based on the Steve Madden interview’s virality and overwhelmingly positive response, people clearly want a little validation that times are crazy. Shopping is already overwhelming enough, and it seems everyone is eager to shed the guilt or taboo surrounding buying dupes when they’re the only thing most of us can afford right now. But where does that leave us as consumers? Are we stuck in a constant loop of looking for dupes of dupes of dupes as prices continue to go up? And where do we draw the line?
While plenty of the Steve Madden podcast interview discussion is lighthearted, there’s something to be said about how our consumerist culture is so committed to shopping that they’re racing to spend money to support him off a simple acknowledging that many of his designers are “inspired by” others. No matter how well he comes across in the interview, Steve Madden runs a business whose entire goal is to make money off of you. He likely has a huge PR team behind him, and for all we know, his endearing, honest persona could be a complete show to drive sales (though I hope not because he genuinely seems like a delight). TikTok was so quick to run to the Steve Madden website to impulse purchase shoes that most people probably already have plenty of.
“When consumers do want to buy something, if there’s a nearly exact replica of what’s on their wishlist for half the price, it’s not so much an active choice as it is the only option.”
We’ve all bought a dupe here or there, but it’s unlikely that dupes are the solution to saving your wallet during challenging economic times. You’re better served doing real research and taking stock of your financial position to know where you’re overspending, where you can cut back, and how to ensure that even if prices continue to go up, you know how to weather the storm. In this period of economic volatility, maybe the answer is focusing on saving for essentials or budgeting for specific purchases more intentionally rather than hopping on the seemingly endless dupe rollercoaster.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.
Feature graphic images credited to: Ajaila Walker | Dupe Photos, Mafer Esquetine | Dupe Photos, Marina Trindade | Dupe Photos, Payton Butler | Dupe Photos, and Two Uratadze | Dupe Photos