Steve Madden shoes are coming to the UK - but sales are falling in the US

My little world of shoes is about to expand. Yes, Steve Madden, he of the designer looky-likies at high street prices, is to make his shoes available to those of us in the UK at last! The Steve Madden line will be hitting our shores in Spring 2008, which seems like a long time away, but should at least guarantee us a fresh new crop of shoes for next year's summer (if we get one). It's not yet known which outlets will be selling the shoes, but major department stores look most likely.

Will the move abroad help boost the company's profits, though, that is the question? Sales of the Steve Madden line have been falling in the States, with the company blaming the situation on the discontinuation of the 'Rule' and 'Jump' lines. I wonder if there's another reason, though? Do you buy Steve Madden shoes, US readers? And if not, why not? (The shoes pictured, by the way, are Madden's 'Luvvy' courts: I'm 'luvving' (sorry) the red heel and polka dots, but would you buy them, I wonder?)

Jessie

I love Steve Madden! Not only are his shoes comfortable (I have a pair of black stilettos I wear almost everyday for work), they're cute/adorable/gorgeous etc. AND I can always count on him to bring me an affordable designer-lookalike shoe (although how he gets away with it is beyond me, what with Topshop and Forever 21 being sued for copyright infringment). Since I can't afford designer prices, Steve Madden is a godsend for me. I've had my eye on the Luvvy courts (in polka dot and pinstripes) for a while, too!

Mary Dang

I don't buy them. I once bought a pair of heels from Zappos and it was such a poorly made shoe for price ($100). The glue used to help attach the heel to the rest of the shoe was visible and looked tacky. The stitching on the edge of the shoe irritated my feet to no end--and this was just from trying to break them in at home. I promptly returned them and bought a pair from Nine West instead.

anna

I just squeed at the monitor. Excellent news!

Johanna

I absolutely adore Steve Madden shoes, but unfortunately I don't have the money to buy them (unless I find them on sale at a discount store). I am very surprised to hear that Madden's sales are falling here in the States, because I feel he is considered one of the best affordable shoe designers. But then again, the economy isn't doing too well, so a lot of girls who used to buy Maddens are now shopping at Payless (which, by the way, often has ADORABLE shoes, and they're always less than $30).