Steve Madden CEO Says Retailers Are ‘Cautious’ on the Fashion Boot Category

Steve Madden is taking a cautious approach to fashion boots this fall. In a call with analysts discussing the brand’s second quarter earnings results, Steve Madden chairman and chief executive officer Edward Rosenfeld said the company has taken a “fairly conservative look” at the fashion boot category, within its own direct-to-consumer channels and across its wholesale accounts. “The industry and the wholesale customers, I think, are cautious overall on the fashion boot category,” Rosenfeld said. “Our wholesale customers are planning that category conservatively. We have obviously built that into our forecast here.” Despite the outlook, Rosenfeld noted that boots sales in July have thus far been up compared to the prior year period. However, he noted that it is still too early in the season to make a judgement call about how sales in the category will ultimately turn out. “I feel good about the product assortment that we have and some of the early indications we have on those products,” Rosenfeld said. “So [we’re] certainly hoping that can be a source of potential upside.” In the event that demand for boots picks up, Rosenfeld said that the brand will be in a strong position to chase inventory for retailers. Steve Madden makes its boots

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