Steve Madden is betting on its men’s business and celebrating its history. The brand looked back to its roots in the fall 2026 campaign “It Started With a Trunk,” referencing the founder’s early days in 1990 when he sold shoes out of his trunk one pair at a time from his red early-1980s Nissan B11 Sentra. With no storefront or backing operation, he started his shoe business with $1,100 in the bank, and the Sentra became his first point of sale. Steve Madden “It Started With a Trunk” campaign. Courtesy of Steve Madden The fall 2026 campaign brings the origin story to the current day through cars, men’s fashion and footwear. Valentino Dior, Henry Mouw and Geo Caceres star in the campaign, which doesn’t simply recreate the past but points toward where the men’s business is going 36 years later. There’s data to support the growth of Steve Madden’s men’s category. Year-to-date in 2026, e-commerce demand for the men’s business has increased 41 percent in comparison to the same period last year. The men’s lineup is also carried in 33 of the brand’s 42 full-price stores located in the U.S. Meanwhile, wholesale distribution has been bolstered by a renewed partnership with Nordstrom and a new partnership
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