Steve Madden

This iconic New York footwear and accessory brand formed its own CSR department in 2018, and came to us in 2020 recognising that it needed to take a significant step forward – retail customers, consumers, employees and investors were all asking more about the company’s approach to sustainability.

We created a strategic positioning that had power and attitude, reflecting Steve Madden’s bold and go-getting ethos so that sustainability felt like a natural part of the brand, not a bolt-on. We worked with the team for nine months to create Let’s Get Real, a holistic approach that put topics like DEI and community engagement on an equal footing with environmental issues.

Let’s Get Real was created around the idea of democratising sustainable fashion. We built on the great work that Steve Madden was already doing – like its commitment to using materials with less environmental impact – to create a position, narrative and framework that didn’t overpromise, yet had room to allow the company to build on it over time.