Steve Madden Acquires Brian Atwood, Shoe Designer and Brand

InStyle Hosts Dinner with a Designer Celebrating Brian Atwood

Shoe megastar designer and brand Steve Madden has recently acquired fellow shoemaker Brian Atwood’s company from owner The Jones Group, according to Women’s Wear Daily. The two brands are joining forces to create a new high-end shoe brand. The new label will be designed by Atwood and produced by Madden’s team and will be sold separately from current Steve Madden stores. The new label is expected to be ready for the Spring 2015 collections.

The Jones Group has reportedly been looking to offload its underperforming brands, including Atwood, whose flagship store in Manhattan closed a few weeks ago. They recently also announced that they are discontinuing Rachel Roy‘s designer fashion line.

Atwood first signed with The Jones Group in 2010, when he launched his contemporary line, B by Brian Atwood. Once part of the Steve Madden brand, the sky is the limit for Atwood. The designer told WWD that handbags, apparel, and a collection for men are all possibilities for the future.

There are around 100 Steve Madden retail stores across the United States, as well as being a major presence in numerous department stores, including Nordstrom and Macy’s. Steve Madden stores focus primarily on Steve Madden products but they also carry Madden Girl, STEVEN by Steve Madden, and Freebird by Steve Madden collections. Internationally, Steve Madden has a presence in over 55 countries with close to 200 retail stores.

Madden’s line, STEVEN by Steve Madden, is the company’s collection at a higher price point. However, the new Brian Atwood acquisition marks Madden company’s first venture into luxury shoes, putting the brand on the same playing field as other luxury shoe lines, like Manolo Blahnik, Stuart Weitzman, Jimmy Choo, and Christian Louboutin.

Once Brian Atwood is operating under the Steve Madden umbrella, a new flagship store may open in a new location.

Let’s look at some of Brian Atwood’s ridiculously beautiful shoes, as worn on actresses Emma Stone, Olivia Wilde, Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Jennifer Lopez, and Zoe Saldana, among others….