Steve Madden Says the Sneaker Industry Is a War | The Complex Sneakers Podcast

Steve Madden is a footwear industry icon who’s seen it all, from independent success to an infamous relationship with the real-life Wolf of Wall Street to lawsuits over sneaker designs. Here, Madden retraces his career in shoes, discussing that Jay-Z shoutout, his respect for Master P, his work with Ja Rule, and more. Elsewhere in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the recent Air Max 97 “Gold Bullet” re-release, buying shoes on the resale market, and what's happened in sneakers in the past week. Chapters: 0:00 - 0:59: Host Intros 1:00 - 4:38: Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95 4:39 - 9:53: Nike Air Max 97 “Metallic Gold” Still on Shelves 9:54 - 13:59: Nike Mac Attack Teaser 14:00 - 15:56: Nike Air Rift 15:57 - 16:47: Pharrell’s LV Show 16:48 - 19:02: Kendrick Lamar Wearing Fakes 19:03 - 19:44: Steve Madden Joins CSP 19:45 - 20:56: What’s on Feet? 20:57 - 26:28: Beginning of Steve's Shoe Journey 26:29 - 30:04: What Makes Someone a Shoe Dog? 30:05 - 33:25: Steve on Burying the Competition 33:26 - 38:53: Steve Madden’s Celebrity/Influencer Collabs 38:54 - 43:04: Visiting his Retail Stores in Person 43:05 - 45:54: Master P’s Shoe Brand 45:55 - 47:24: Steve’s Incarceration 47:25 - 49:51: The Wolf of Wall Street 49:52 - 51:46: Steve Madden x Ja Rule Collab 51:47 - 56:08: High Fashion Shoe’s Influence on Steve Madden Designs 56:09 - 58:46: Steve’s Personal + Career Battles 58:47 - 1:03:03: The Best + Worst of Who Steve has Worked with