When I was in Queens, NY, to see the Steve Madden headquarters, I learned how a shoe is made. And because I buy many thousands of pairs of shoes for G.POINT a year (lucky me) ,  I thought it would be about time I learned.

STEP 1 – The design team comes up with a new idea for a shoe.

A shoe designer’s desk…

STEP 2 – Emily, one of the shoe designer for Steve Madden, shows me a file for a shoe where all the details are noted. Some shoes require dozens of individual pieces!

STEP 3 – From hundreds of leathers, fabrics and other materials, the perfect one is chosen for this particular shoe.

 Sometimes, they even spray the materials to try a new look!

STEP 4 – Someone then cuts the pieces out of the chosen material.

 Then the pieces get stitched together and put over the “last”, which is a foot mold.

 Look how many lasts they have! For every type of shoe and size. Craziness…

 STEP 5 – In the end, the shoe gets a sole.

And finally, the shoe sample is finished! Off it goes to the showroom, where buyers from all over the world come and do their picks. Now we can just hope the shoe is popular with the buyers!

Thank you, Brian and Steve, for giving me the “Steve Madden brainwash tour” and spending a great day with me in Long Island City. xoxo Gabi

And a last quote from Steve Madden: