MADDEN STEVEN LTD
S-3/A, 1998-07-23
FOOTWEAR, (NO RUBBER)
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AS  FILED  WITH  THE  SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  ON JULY  23,  1998,
REGISTRATION NO. 333-59295
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 --------------

                                    FORM S-3/A
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 --------------

                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.
                 (NAME OF SMALL BUSINESS ISSUER IN ITS CHARTER)

       NEW YORK                       3140                      13-3588231
- ------------------------    ----------------------------    -------------------
(STATE OR OTHER JURIS-      (PRIMARY STANDARD INDUSTRIAL    (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
 DICTION OF ORGANIZATION)     CLASSIFICATION CODE NO.)      IDENTIFICATION NO.)

          (ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)

                              52-16 BARNETT AVENUE
                           LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11104

                   (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OR
                      INTENDED PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS)

                                  STEVE MADDEN
                                    PRESIDENT
                              52-16 BARNETT AVENUE
                           LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11104
                                 (718) 446-1800
            (NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

                            STEVEN F. WASSERMAN, ESQ.
                              ALAN N. FORMAN, ESQ.
                         BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP
                              120 WEST 45TH STREET
                               NEW YORK, NY 10036
                                 (212) 704-0100
                              (212) 704-0196 (FAX)

         APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:  AS SOON AS REASONABLY
PRACTICABLE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

         IF ANY OF THE  SECURITIES  BEING  REGISTERED  ON  THIS  FORM  ARE TO BE
OFFERED  ON A  DELAYED  OR  CONTINUOUS  BASIS,  PURSUANT  TO RULE 415  UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX: | X |
         IF THIS FORM IS FILED TO REGISTER ADDITIONAL SECURITIES FOR AN OFFERING
PURSUANT TO RULE 462(B) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX
AND LIST  THE  SECURITIES  ACT  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT  NUMBER  OF THE  EARLIER
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SAME OFFERING. [ ]

         IF THIS  FORM IS A  POST-EFFECTIVE  AMENDMENT  FILED  PURSUANT  TO RULE
462(C) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX AND LIST THE SECURITIES
ACT  REGISTRATION   STATEMENT  NUMBER  OF  THE  EARLIER  EFFECTIVE  REGISTRATION
STATEMENT FOR THE SAME OFFERING.

         IF DELIVERY OF THE  PROSPECTUS  IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE PURSUANT TO RULE
434, PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX. [ ]

                                                              CONTINUED OVERLEAF


<PAGE>


                                              CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES TO     AMOUNT TO BE      PROPOSED MAXIMUM      PROPOSED MAXIMUM AGGREGATE  AMOUNT OF
BE REGISTERED                            REGISTERED        OFFERING PRICE PER    OFFERING PRICE(1)           REGISTRATION FEE
                                                           SECURITIES(1)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                        <C>                <C>                   <C>                      <C>    
Common Stock, par value $.0001 per         64,520             $11.00                $709,720.00                   $209.37
share, held by Selling Securityholder
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount Previously Paid                                                                                            $209.37
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Amount Due                                                                                                  $     0
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

- --------------

(1)      Established  solely  for  purposes  of  calculating   registration  fee
         pursuant to Rule 457 under the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
         "Act").



                                ----------------


         THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE
OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS  EFFECTIVE  DATE UNTIL THE  REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY  STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL  THEREAFTER  BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF
THE  SECURITIES  ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT  SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION,  ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a),
MAY DETERMINE.


                                       ii
<PAGE>


PROSPECTUS

                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.

                          64,520 Shares of Common Stock

                                ---------------
         This Prospectus relates to an aggregate offering of up to 64,520 shares
(the "Shares") of Common Stock, par value $.0001 per share (the "Common Stock"),
of Steven Madden,  Ltd., a New York corporation  (the  "Company"),  which may be
offered and sold from time to time by Robert Schmertz and Deborah  Schmertz,  or
their  transferees  (the  "Selling  Securityholder").  In  connection  with  the
execution of an  Employment  Agreement  between  Shoe Biz,  Inc., a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company ("Shoe Biz"),  and Mr.  Schmertz,  Shoe Biz loaned Mr.
Schmertz  $300,000.  The promissory  note issued by Mr.  Schmertz to Shoe Biz in
exchange for the loan is secured by the pledge of 36,232  Shares.  Any brokerage
commissions  or other  similar  expenses  incurred  pursuant  to the sale of the
Shares will be borne by the Selling Securityholder.  Sales of such securities or
the potential of such sales at any time may have an adverse effect on the market
prices of the securities offered hereby. See "Selling  Securityholder"  and "The
Offering".

         The securities offered by this Prospectus may be sold from time to time
by the Selling Securityholder,  or its transferees. No underwriting arrangements
have been entered into by the Selling  Securityholder.  The  distribution of the
securities by the Selling  Securityholder  or its transferees may be effected in
one or more  transactions  that may take  place on the  over-the-counter  market
including ordinary broker's transactions,  privately negotiated  transactions or
through  sales to one or more  market  makers  or  dealers  for  resale  of such
securities as  principals  at market  prices  prevailing at the time of sale, at
prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated  prices.  Usual
and customary or  specifically  negotiated  brokerage fees or commissions may be
paid by the Selling  Securityholder  or its transferees in connection with sales
of the Company's securities.

         The Selling  Securityholder  or its  transferees,  brokers,  dealers or
underwriters and intermediaries that participate with the Selling Securityholder
in the  distribution  of the Company's  securities may be deemed  "underwriters"
within the meaning of the Securities  Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),  with
respect to the  securities  offered  and any  profits  realized  or  commissions
received may be deemed underwriting compensation.

         The  Company's  shares of Common  Stock,  Class A Warrants  and Class B
Warrants were quoted since December 10, 1993 on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market under
the symbols SHOO,  SHOOW and SHOOZ,  respectively.  In January 1996, the Class A
Warrants ceased trading as a result of the Company's call for redemption of such
securities.  In January 1997,  the Company's  shares of Common Stock and Class B
Warrants  commenced trading on The Nasdaq National Market. In December 1998, the
Class B Warrants will expire,  and as a result,  such  securities will no longer
trade on the Nasdaq National Market.  On June 26, 1998, the closing price of the
Common Stock and Class B Warrants were $11.25, and $5.69, respectively.

         THESE   SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN  APPROVED  OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION NOR HAS
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED
UPON THE  ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS  PROSPECTUS.  ANY  REPRESENTATION  TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                  THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS JULY __, 1998.


<PAGE>


                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION


         The  Company  is  subject  to  the  informational  requirements  of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange  Act")  and in
accordance  therewith  files reports,  proxy  statements  and other  information
including annual and quarterly  reports on Form 10-KSB and 10-QSB (the "1934 Act
Filings") with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission").  The
statements  contained  in this  Prospectus  with  respect to the contents of any
agreement or other document referred to herein are not necessarily complete and,
in each  instance,  reference is made to a copy of such agreement or document as
filed as an exhibit to the  Registration  Statement,  each such statement  being
qualified  in all  respects  by  reference  to the  provisions  of the  relevant
documents.  Reports and other  information filed by the Company can be inspected
and copied at the public  reference  facilities  maintained at the Commission at
Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such material
can be  obtained  upon  written  request  addressed  to the  Commission,  Public
Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed
rates. The Commission maintains a web site on the Internet  (http://www.sec.gov)
that contains  reports,  proxy and information  statements and other information
regarding  issuers  that file  electronically  with the  Commission  through the
Electronic  Data  Gathering,  Analysis  and  Retrieval  System  ("EDGAR").  This
Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration
Statement, certain parts of which have been omitted in accordance with the rules
and regulations of the Commission.  For further information reference is made to
the Registration Statement.


<PAGE>


                     INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The  following  documents  or  portions  thereof,  as  filed  with  the
Securities and Exchange  Commission by the Company,  are incorporated  herein by
reference into this Prospectus:

         (1) Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 14, 1998.

         (2) Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A dated April 22, 1998.

         (3) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1998.

         (4) Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 13, 1998.

         (5) Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 20, 1998.

         (6) Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 1997.

         (7) The  description  of the Common  Stock,  par value $.0001 per share
             ("Common  Stock"),  the Class A Redeemable  Common  Stock  Purchase
             Warrants  ("Class A Warrants"),  and the Class B Redeemable  Common
             Stock  Purchase  Warrants  ("Class  B  Warrants"),  of the  Company
             contained  in the  Company's  registration  statement  filed  under
             Section 12 of the Exchange  Act,  including any amendment or report
             filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14
or  15(d)  of the  Exchange  Act,  subsequent  to the  effective  date  of  this
Prospectus and prior to the filing of a post-effective  amendment which indicate
that all  securities  offered have been sold or which  registers all  securities
then remaining  unsold,  shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus  and to be part thereof from the date of filing such  documents.  Any
statement  contained in a document  incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference  herein shall be deemed to be modified or  superseded  for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement  contained herein or in any other
subsequently  filed  document which also is or is deemed to be  incorporated  by
reference  herein modifies or supersedes  such statement.  Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Prospectus.


                                       2
<PAGE>


                                  RISK FACTORS

         AN INVESTMENT  IN THE  SECURITIES  OFFERED  HEREBY IS  SPECULATIVE  AND
INVOLVES A HIGH  DEGREE OF RISK AND  SUBSTANTIAL  DILUTION  AND  SHOULD  ONLY BE
PURCHASED  BY  INVESTORS  WHO  CAN  AFFORD  TO  LOSE  THEIR  ENTIRE  INVESTMENT.
PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS, PRIOR TO MAKING AN INVESTMENT, SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER
THE FOLLOWING RISKS AND SPECULATIVE  FACTORS,  AS WELL AS OTHER  INFORMATION SET
FORTH ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS OFFERING, INCLUDING THE
INFORMATION  CONTAINED IN THE  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  INCORPORATED  BY REFERENCE
HEREIN.

         STATEMENTS IN THIS  PROSPECTUS THAT ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF HISTORICAL OR
CURRENT FACT CONSTITUTE  "FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE
PRIVATE  SECURITIES   LITIGATION  REFORM  ACT  OF  1995.  SUCH   FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS  INVOLVE  KNOWN AND UNKNOWN  RISKS,  UNCERTAINTIES  AND OTHER UNKNOWN
FACTORS  THAT COULD  CAUSE THE ACTUAL  RESULTS OF THE  COMPANY TO BE  MATERIALLY
DIFFERENT  FROM THE HISTORICAL  RESULTS OR FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS  EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED BY SUCH  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS.  IN  ADDITION TO  STATEMENTS  THAT
EXPLICITLY DESCRIBE SUCH RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES,  READERS ARE URGED TO CONSIDER
STATEMENTS LABELED WITH THE TERMS "BELIEVES,"  "BELIEF,"  "EXPECTS,"  "INTENDS,"
"ANTICIPATES"  OR "PLANS" TO BE  UNCERTAIN  AND  FORWARD-LOOKING.  THE  FORWARD-
LOOKING  STATEMENTS  CONTAINED HEREIN ARE ALSO SUBJECT  GENERALLY TO OTHER RISKS
AND UNCERTAINTIES  THAT ARE DESCRIBED FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE COMPANY'S REPORTS
AND REGISTRATION  STATEMENTS  FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION
AND CERTAIN OF THESE RISKS ARE SUMMARIZED BELOW.

         1.  DEPENDENCE  ON  KEY  PERSONNEL.   The  Company  is  dependent,   in
particular,  upon the services of Steven Madden,  its Chief  Executive  Officer,
President,  Chairman of the Board and chief designer and Rhonda Brown, its Chief
Operating Officer.  If Mr. Madden or Ms. Brown are unable to provide services to
the Company for whatever reason, the business would be adversely  affected.  The
Company  therefore  maintains a key person life  insurance  policy on Mr. Madden
with  coverage  in the amount of  $10,000,000;  however,  the  Company  does not
maintain a policy on Ms. Brown. The Company has an employment  contract with Mr.
Madden that expires on December 31, 2007,  and an  employment  contract with Ms.
Brown that expires on June 30, 2001. In the event Mr.  Madden is terminated  for
other than cause or total  disability,  the Company  will be required to pay Mr.
Madden's  remaining  salary  under his  10-year  contract  (up to  approximately
$2,000,000  depending on the timing of such termination),  half of which must be
paid upon  termination.  Mr.  Madden  is also  entitled  during  the term of the
contract to an annual $50,000 non-accountable expense account. In the event of a
change in  control,  Mr.  Madden  and Ms.  Brown may  choose to  continue  their
employment  with the Company or terminate  employment  and receive the remaining
salary under their respective contracts.

         Since Mr.  Madden  and Ms.  Brown are  involved  in all  aspects of the
Company's  business,  there can be no assurance that a suitable  replacement for
either could be found if either were unable to perform services for the Company.
As a  consequence,  a loss of Mr.  Madden,  Ms.  Brown or other  key  management
personnel  could have a material  adverse  effect upon the  Company's  business,
results of  operations  and  financial  condition.  In addition,  the  Company's
ability to market its products  and to achieve  profitability  will  depend,  in
large  part,  on  its  ability  to  attract  and  retain  qualified   personnel.
Competition for such personnel is intense and there can be no assurance that the
Company will be able to attract and retain such personnel.  The inability of the
Company to attract and retain  such  qualified  personnel  would have a material
adverse  effect on the Company's  business,  financial  condition and results of
operations.


                                       3
<PAGE>


         2.  FASHION  INDUSTRY RISKS.  The success of the Company will depend in
significant  part upon its ability to anticipate and respond to women's  product
and  fashion  trends  as well as to  anticipate,  gauge  and  react to  changing
consumer  demands  in a  timely  manner.  There  can be no  assurance  that  the
Company's  products  will  correspond to the changes in taste and demand or that
the Company will be able to  successfully  market products which respond to such
trends.  If the Company  misjudges the market for its products,  it may be faced
with significant excess  inventories for some products and missed  opportunities
with others. In addition,  misjudgments in merchandise selection could adversely
affect the  Company's  image  with its  customers  and weak sales and  resulting
markdown  requests from  customers  could have a material  adverse effect on the
Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.

         The  industries  in which  the  Company  operates  are  cyclical,  with
purchases tending to decline during recessionary  periods when disposable income
is low.  Purchases of contemporary  shoes and accessories tend to decline during
recessionary  periods and also may decline at other times. While the Company has
fared well in recent years in a difficult  retail  environment,  there can be no
assurance  that the Company  will be able to  maintain  its  historical  rate of
growth in revenues and earnings, or remain profitable in the future. A recession
in the national or regional economies or uncertainties regarding future economic
prospects,  among other things, could affect consumer spending habits and have a
material  adverse  effect on the Company's  business  results of operations  and
financial condition.

         In recent years, the retail industry has experienced  consolidation and
other  ownership  changes.  In addition,  some of the Company's  customers  have
operated  under the  protection of the federal  bankruptcy  laws. In the future,
retailers in the United States and in foreign markets may  consolidate,  undergo
restructurings or reorganizations,  or realign their affiliations,  any of which
could  decrease  the  number of stores  that  carry the  Company's  products  or
increase the  ownership  concentration  within the retail  industry.  While such
changes in the retail industry to date have not had a material adverse effect on
the Company's business or financial  condition,  there can be no assurance as to
the future effect of any such changes.

         3.  INVENTORY   MANAGEMENT.   The  Company's   ability  to  manage  its
inventories  properly  is an  important  factor  in  its  operations.  Inventory
shortages can adversely affect the timing of shipments to customers and diminish
brand loyalty.  Conversely,  excess inventories can result in increased interest
costs as well as lower gross margins due to the necessity of providing discounts
to retailers.  The inability of the Company to effectively  manage its inventory
would  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,  financial
condition and results of operations.

         4.  DEPENDENCE UPON CUSTOMERS AND RISKS RELATED TO EXTENDING  CREDIT TO
CUSTOMERS.  The Company's  customers  purchasing  shoes consist  principally  of
department stores and specialty stores, including shoe boutiques. Certain of the
Company's  department  store customers,  including some under common  ownership,
account  for  significant   portions  of  the  Company's  wholesale  net  sales.
Presently,  the Company sells  approximately fifty percent (50%) of its products
to department  stores,  including  Federated  Stores  (Bloomingdales,  Burdines,
Macy's and Bullocks),  Dillards and Dayton Hudson and approximately  fifty (50%)
percent to specialty stores, including shoe boutiques. As a result of the merger
between  Federated  Stores and R.H.  Macy and  Company,  Federated  Stores,  the
Company's largest customer,  accounts for approximately  seventeen percent (17%)
of the Company's sales.

         The  Company  believes  that a  substantial  portion  of  sales  of the
Company's  licensed products by its domestic licensing partners are also made to
the Company's largest  department store customers.  The


                                        4
<PAGE>


Company  generally  enters into a number of purchase order  commitments with its
customers  for each of its lines every season and does not enter into  long-term
agreements with any of its customers.  Therefore, a decision by Federated Stores
or any other significant customer,  whether motivated by competitive conditions,
financial  difficulties  or  otherwise,  to decrease  the amount of  merchandise
purchased from the Company or its licensing partners, or to change its manner of
doing business could have a material  adverse effect on the Company's  business,
financial condition and results of operations.

         The Company  sells its products  primarily to retail  stores across the
United  States and extends  credit  based on an  evaluation  of each  customer's
financial  condition,   usually  without  requiring  collateral.  While  various
retailers, including some of the Company's customers, have experienced financial
difficulties in the past few years which increased the risk of extending  credit
to such  retailers,  the  Company's  losses due to bad debts have been  limited.
However, financial difficulties of a customer could cause the Company to curtail
business  with such  customer  or require the Company to assume more credit risk
relating to such customer's receivables.

         5.  IMPACT OF  FOREIGN  MANUFACTURERS.  A  significant  portion  of the
Company's  products are  currently  sourced  outside the United  States  through
arrangements with a number of foreign manufacturers in four different countries.
During fiscal 1997,  approximately 95% of the Company's  products were purchased
from sources  outside the United States,  including  Mexico,  China,  Brazil and
Spain.

         Risks   inherent  in  foreign   operations   include  work   stoppages,
transportation  delays  and  interruptions,  changes in  social,  political  and
economic  conditions  which  could  result in the  disruption  of trade from the
countries in which the Company's  manufacturers  or suppliers  are located,  the
imposition  of additional  regulations  relating to imports,  the  imposition of
additional duties, taxes and other charges on imports,  significant fluctuations
of the value of the dollar against  foreign  currencies,  or restrictions on the
transfer  of funds,  any of which  could have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company's business,  financial condition and results of operations.  The Company
does not believe that any such economic or political  conditions will materially
affect the Company's ability to purchase products,  since a variety of materials
and alternative sources exist. The Company cannot be certain,  however,  that it
will be able to  identify  such  alternative  sources  without  delay or without
greater cost to the Company,  if ever.  The Company's  inability to identify and
secure  alternative  sources of supply in this  situation  would have a material
adverse  effect on the Company's  business,  financial  condition and results of
operations.

         The  Company's  imported  products  are also  subject to United  States
customs duties which comprise a material portion of the cost of the merchandise.
The United States and the countries in which the Company's products are produced
or sold may, from time to time,  impose new quotas,  duties,  tariffs,  or other
restrictions,  or may adversely adjust  prevailing quota, duty or tariff levels,
any of which could have a material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,
financial condition and results of operations.

         6.  POSSIBLE ADVERSE IMPACT OF UNAFFILIATED MANUFACTURERS' INABILITY TO
MANUFACTURE IN A TIMELY MANNER,  TO MEET QUALITY  STANDARDS OR TO USE ACCEPTABLE
LABOR PRACTICES.  As is common in the footwear  industry,  the Company contracts
for the manufacture of a majority of its products to its specifications  through
foreign  manufacturers.  The Company  does not own or operate any  manufacturing
facilities  and is therefore  dependent upon  independent  third parties for the
manufacture of all of its products.  The Company's  products are manufactured to
its  specifications  by  both  domestic  and  international  manufacturers.  The
inability of a manufacturer to ship orders of the Company's products in a timely
manner or to meet the  Company's  quality  standards  could cause the Company to
miss the


                                       5
<PAGE>


delivery date requirements of its customers for those items,  which could result
in  cancellation  of orders,  refusal to accept  deliveries  or a  reduction  in
purchase  prices,  any of which  could  have a  material  adverse  effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

         Although the Company enters into a number of purchase order commitments
each season specifying a time frame for delivery,  method of payment, design and
quality specifications and other standard industry provisions,  the Company does
not have long-term  contracts with any  manufacturer.  As a consequence,  any of
these  manufacturing  relationships  may be terminated,  by either party, at any
time.  Although the Company believes that other facilities are available for the
manufacture  of the  Company's  products,  both within and outside of the United
States, there can be no assurance that such facilities would be available to the
Company  on an  immediate  basis,  if at all,  or that the costs  charged to the
Company by such manufacturers will not be greater than those presently paid.

         The  Company   requires  its   licensing   partners   and   independent
manufacturers  to operate in compliance with  applicable  laws and  regulations.
While the Company promotes  ethical  business  practices and the Company's staff
periodically   visits  and   monitors   the   operations   of  its   independent
manufacturers,  the Company does not control such  manufacturers  or their labor
practices.  The violation of labor or other laws by an independent  manufacturer
of the Company or by one of the Company's licensing partners,  or the divergence
of an independent  manufacturer's  or licensing  partner's  labor practices from
those generally accepted as ethical in the United States,  could have a material
adverse  effect on the Company's  business,  financial  condition and results of
operations.

         7.  INTENSE INDUSTRY COMPETITION.  The fashionable footwear industry is
highly  competitive  and  barriers to entry are low. The  Company's  competitors
include specialty companies as well as companies with diversified product lines.
The  recent  substantial  growth  in  the  sales  of  fashionable  footwear  has
encouraged  the entry of many new  competitors  and increased  competition  from
established companies.  Most of these competitors,  including Kenneth Cole, Nine
West,  Esprit,  Reebok,  Nike,  Zodiac and  Guess,  have  significantly  greater
financial  and other  resources  than the Company and there can be no  assurance
that  the  Company  will be able to  compete  successfully  with  other  fashion
footwear  companies.  Increased  competition could result in pricing  pressures,
increased  marketing  expenditures  and loss of market  share,  and could have a
material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,  financial  condition and
results of operations.

         The Company believes effective  advertising and marketing,  fashionable
styling,  high quality and value are the most important  competitive factors and
plans to employ  these  elements  as it develops  its  products.  The  Company's
inability to effectively advertise and market its products could have a material
adverse  effect on the Company's  business,  financial  condition and results of
operations.

         8.  EXPANSION  OF  RETAIL  BUSINESS.  The  Company's  continued  growth
depends to a significant degree on further developing the Steve Madden and David
Aaron  brands,  creating new product  categories  and  businesses  and operating
Company-owned  stores on a profitable basis. The Company plans to open 10 stores
through June 1999,  representing a significant  increase in the number of stores
opened and  operated  in one  fiscal  year.  The  Company's  recent and  planned
expansion includes the opening of stores in new geographic markets.  New markets
have in the past  presented,  and will  continue  to  present,  competitive  and
merchandising  challenges  that are different from those faced by the Company in
its existing markets. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
open new  stores,  and if opened,  that such new stores  will be able to achieve
sales and profitability levels consistent with existing stores.


                                       6
<PAGE>


         The  Company's  retail  expansion  is dependent on a number of factors,
including the Company's  ability to locate and obtain favorable store sites, the
performance of the Company's wholesale and retail operations, and the ability of
the  Company  to  manage  such  expansion  and hire and  train  personnel.  Past
comparable  store sales  results may not be indicative  of future  results,  and
there can be no assurance that the Company's comparable store sales results will
increase or not decrease in the future.  In addition,  there can be no assurance
that the Company's  strategies to increase  other sources of revenue,  which may
include  expansion of its licensing  activities,  will be successful or that the
Company's  overall  sales or  profitability  will  increase or not be  adversely
affected as a result of the implementation of such retail strategies.

         The Company's growth has increased and will continue to increase demand
on the Company's  managerial,  operational  and  administrative  resources.  The
Company has recently invested significant  resources in, among other things, its
management  information systems and hiring and training new personnel.  However,
in order to manage currently  anticipated  levels of future demand,  the Company
may be required  to, among other  things,  expand its  distribution  facilities,
establish  relationships  with new  manufacturers  to produce its products,  and
continue to expand and improve its financial,  management and operating systems.
There can be no assurance  that the Company will be able to manage future growth
effectively  and a failure to do so could have a material  adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operation.

         9.  SEASONAL  AND  QUARTERLY  FLUCTUATIONS.   The  Company's  quarterly
results may fluctuate  quarter to quarter as a result of the timing of holidays,
weather,  the timing of larger shipments of footwear,  market  acceptance of the
Company's  products,  the mix,  pricing and presentation of the products offered
and sold,  the  hiring  and  training  of  additional  personnel,  the timing of
inventory  write downs,  the cost of  materials,  the mix between  wholesale and
licensing businesses, the incurrence of other operating costs and factors beyond
the  Company's  control,  such as general  economic  conditions  and  actions of
competitors.  In addition,  the Company expects its sales and operating  results
may fluctuate significantly with the opening of new retail stores, the amount of
revenue  contributed  by new stores,  changes in comparable  store sales and the
introduction  of new  products.  Accordingly,  the results of  operations in any
quarter will not  necessarily  be indicative of the results that may be achieved
for a full fiscal year or any future quarter.

         10. TRADEMARK AND SERVICEMARK  PROTECTION.  The Steve Madden  trademark
has been  registered in one  International  Class (Int'l Cl. 18 - leather goods,
hand bags,  wallets) in the Untied States  Patent and  Trademark  Office and the
Company  has  numerous  applications  for  registration  in other  International
Classes  (such as clothing,  sunglasses,  jewelry,  cosmetics,  and  fragrances)
pending in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Company also has a
service mark  registration in the United States Patent and Trademark  Office for
the Steve Madden service mark in Int'l Cl. 35 for retail store services. Through
the  Company's  seven year long use of the Steve Madden  trademark in the United
States in  connection  with  shoes,  the Company  has also  acquired  common law
trademark  right in the Steve  Madden  trademark.  The Company  also has pending
trademark  applications  for the Steve Madden  trademark  in numerous  countries
around the world. There can be no assurance,  however,  that the Company will be
able to effectively obtain rights in the Steve Madden mark throughout the world.
The  failure of the Company to protect  such right from  unlawful  and  improper
appropriation  may have a material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,
financial condition and results of operation.


                                       7
<PAGE>


         The Company also owns a federal  trademark  registration  in the United
States  Patent and  Trademark  Office  for the David  Aaron  trademark  in Int'l
Classes  18  and 25  (leather  goods  and  clothing,  shoes)  and  has  numerous
applications  pending  in the  United  States and around the world for the David
Aaron  trademark  and service  mark.  The Company  believes that the David Aaron
trademark  has a  significant  value and is  important  to the  marketing of the
Company's  products.   The  Company  believes  that  its  trademarks  and  other
proprietary  rights are important to its success and its  competitive  position.
Accordingly,  the Company devotes substantial resources to the establishment and
protection of its trademarks on a worldwide basis. Nevertheless, there can be no
assurance  that the actions  taken by the Company to  establish  and protect its
trademarks and other proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent imitation of
its  products by others or to prevent  others from seeking to block sales of the
Company's  products as violative of the  trademarks  and  proprietary  rights of
others.  Moreover,  no assurance can be given that others will not assert rights
in, or ownership of, trademarks and other  proprietary  rights of the Company or
that  the  Company  will be able to  successfully  resolve  such  conflicts.  In
addition,  the laws of certain  foreign  countries  may not protect  proprietary
rights to the same  extent as do the laws of the United  States.  The failure of
the Company to establish and then protect such proprietary  rights from unlawful
and improper appropriation could have a material adverse impact on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.

         11. FOREIGN CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS.  The Company generally purchases its
products in U.S. dollars.  However, the Company sources substantially all of its
products  overseas and, as such,  the cost of these  products may be affected by
changes in the value of the relevant  currencies.  Changes in currency  exchange
rates may also  affect the  relative  prices at which the  Company  and  foreign
competitors  sell their  products in the same market.  There can be no assurance
that foreign  currency  fluctuations  will not have a material adverse impact on
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

         12. ABSENCE  OF  DIVIDENDS.  The  Company  anticipates  that all of its
earnings in the  foreseeable  future  will be retained to finance the  continued
growth and  expansion of its  business and has no current  intention to pay cash
dividends.

         13. OUTSTANDING   WARRANTS  AND  OPTIONS.  The  Company  currently  has
outstanding  approximately  1,854,943 Class B Warrants  exercisable at $5.50 per
share and 150,000 Class C Warrants  exercisable at $15.00 per share. The Class B
Warrants  have been called for  redemption by the Company and will expire at the
close of business on August 13,  1998.  Class B  Warrantholders  will  receive a
redemption  price of $.05 per  Class B  Warrants  in the event  that they  don't
exercise the Class B Warrants  held  thereby by such date.  The Class C Warrants
will expire in December 1998. As of July 23, 1998,  the Company had  outstanding
options to purchase an aggregate  of  approximately  2,200,000  shares of Common
Stock. Holders of such options and warrants are likely to exercise them when, in
all  likelihood,  the  Company  could  obtain  additional  capital on terms more
favorable  than those  provided by the options.  Further,  while its options and
warrants  are  outstanding,  they may  adversely  affect  the terms in which the
Company could obtain additional capital.


                                       8
<PAGE>


                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

         The Company will not receive any of the  proceeds  from the sale of the
shares by the Selling Securityholder.

                             SELLING SECURITYHOLDER

         The  Registration  Statement of which this Prospectus is a part relates
to the offer and sale of 64,520  shares of Common  Stock (the  "Shares")  by the
Selling  Securityholder  or its transferees.  All of such shares of Common Stock
are expected to become tradable on or about the date of this Prospectus.

         The  following  table  sets  forth  the  beneficial  ownership  of  the
securities  of the Company  held by each person who is a Selling  Securityholder
prior to this  Offering and after this  Offering,  assuming all of the shares of
Common Stock owned by the Selling Securityholder are sold.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               SHARES OF COMMON                                            SHARES OF COMMON     PERCENTAGE OF
                               STOCK              PERCENTAGE OF COMMON                     STOCK                COMMON STOCK
                               BENEFICIALLY       STOCK BENEFICIALLY     SHARES OF         BENEFICIALLY         BENEFICIALLY
                               OWNED BEFORE       OWNED                  COMMON STOCK      OWNED AFTER          OWNED AFTER
NAME                           OFFERING           BEFORE OFFERING        OFFERED HEREBY    OFFERING(1)          OFFERING(1)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>                    <C>                    <C>                <C>                 <C>
Robert Schmertz (2)(3)         32,260(4)              .35%                   32,260             0                   0
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deborah Schmertz(2)            32,260(5)              .35%                   32,260             0                   0
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                          64,520                  .7%                   64,520             0                   0
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)      Assumes the sale of all of the Shares.
(2)      Robert and Deborah  Schmertz  acquired  the shares  from Daniel  Scott,
         Inc.,  a New York  corporation  which was  dissolved  on June 29, 1998.
         Robert and Deborah Schmertz are married and were the sole  shareholders
         of Daniel Scott, Inc. prior to its dissolution.
(3)      Robert  Schmertz  is an  employee  of Shoe Biz,  Inc.,  a wholly  owned
         subsidiary of the Company.
(4)      Disclaims  beneficial  ownership  of  shares of  Common  Stock  held by
         Deborah Schmertz.
(5)      Disclaims beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock held by Robert
         Schmertz.


                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

         The Company will not receive any of the  proceeds  from the sale of the
Shares by the Selling Securityholder or its transferees.

         The securities offered by this Prospectus may be sold from time to time
directly  by  the  Selling  Securityholder  or  its  transferees,  or  to  their
transferees.  Alternatively,  the Selling Securityholders or its transferees may
from time to time offer such securities through underwriters, brokers or agents.
No   underwriting   arrangements   have  been   entered   into  by  the  Selling
Securityholder  or its  transferees.  The  distribution of the securities by the
Selling  Securityholder  or its  transferees  may  be  effected  in one or  


                                       9
<PAGE>


more transactions that may take place on the  over-the-counter  market including
ordinary broker's  transactions,  privately  negotiated  transactions or through
sales to one or more market  makers or dealers for resale of such  securities as
principals at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to
such prevailing  market prices or at negotiated  prices.  Usual and customary or
specifically negotiated brokerage fees or commissions may be paid by the Selling
Securityholder or its transferees in connection with sales of the securities.

         This offering is currently not being underwritten. However, the Selling
Securityholder  or  its  transferees,   brokers,  dealers  or  underwriters  and
intermediaries   that  participate  with  the  Selling   Securityholder  or  its
transferees  may be deemed  "underwriters"  within the meaning of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),  with respect to the securities offered and
any  profits  realized  or  commissions  received  may  be  deemed  underwriting
compensation.  It is anticipated  that all the securities  being offered hereby,
when sales thereof are made, will be made in one or more transaction  (which may
involve one or more block  transaction)  through customary  brokerage  channels,
either through  brokers acting as brokers or agents for the sellers,  or through
market makers,  dealers or underwriters  acting as principals who may resell the
Common  Stock on The  Nasdaq  National  Market or the  securities  in  privately
negotiated sales, or otherwise, or by a combination of such methods of offering.
Sales may be made at  market  prices  prevailing  at the time of the sales or at
negotiated prices.

         At the time a particular offer of securities is made by or on behalf of
a  Selling  Securityholder  or  its  transferees,  to  the  extent  required,  a
prospectus  will be  distributed  which will set forth the number of  securities
being offered and the terms of the offering,  including the name or names of any
underwriters,  dealers  or  agents,  if  any,  the  purchase  price  paid by any
underwriter  for  securities  purchased from the Selling  Securityholder  or its
transferees and any discounts,  commissions or concessions  allowed or reallowed
or paid to dealers, and the proposed selling price to the public.

         Under  applicable  rules and  regulations  under the Exchange  Act, any
person  engaged  in a  distribution  of the  shares  of  Common  Stock  may  not
simultaneously  engage in market  making  activities  with respect to the Common
Stock for a period of up to five days preceding such  distribution.  The Selling
Securityholder  or its transferees will be subject to the applicable  provisions
of the  Exchange  Act and the  rules  and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder,
including without limitation Regulation M, which provisions may limit the timing
of purchases and sales by the Selling Securityholder or its transferees.

         In order to comply with certain state  securities  laws, if applicable,
the Common Stock will be sold in such  jurisdictions  only through registered or
licensed brokers or dealers. In certain states, the Common Stock may not be sold
unless the  Common  Stock has been  registered  and  qualified  for sale in such
state, or unless an exemption from  registration or  qualification  is available
and is obtained.

                                  LEGAL MATTERS

         The validity of the securities offered hereby have been passed upon for
the Company by Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP.


                                       10
<PAGE>


                                     EXPERTS

         The  consolidated  financial  statements  of Steven  Madden,  Ltd.  and
subsidiaries included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-KSB for the year
ended December 31, 1997,  incorporated  by reference in this  Prospectus and the
Registration  Statement  have been audited by Richard A. Eisner & Company,  LLP,
independent auditors, as indicated in their report with respect thereto, and are
incorporated  herein by reference in reliance upon the report of said firm given
upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.


                                       11
<PAGE>


    No  dealer,  salesman  or  other  person  has  been  authorized  to give any
information or to make any  representations not contained in this Prospectus and
if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as
having been authorized by the Company or any  Underwriter.  Neither the delivery
of this  Prospectus  nor any sale made hereunder  shall under any  circumstances
create  any  implication  that  there has been no change in the  affairs  of the
Company since the date hereof.  This  Prospectus does not constitute an offer of
any securities  other than the securities to which it relates or an offer to any
person in any jurisdiction in which such an offer would be unlawful.

                                 -------------


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                           Page
                                                           ----

Available Information...................................     2
Risk Factors............................................     3
Use of Proceeds.........................................     9
Selling Securityholder..................................     9
Plan of Distribution....................................     9
Legal Matters...........................................    10
Experts.................................................    11


================================================================================

                                 -------------

                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.

                         64,520 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK



                                 -------------

                                   PROSPECTUS

                                 -------------








                                  JULY __, 1998

================================================================================

                                       12
<PAGE>


                                     PART II
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

             Item 14.  Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

                  The estimated expenses in connection with this offering are as
follows:

                  SEC filing fee................................     $    202.23
                  Legal fees and expenses*......................     $ 12,500.00
                  Accounting fees and expenses*.................     $  5,000.00
                  Blue Sky fees and expenses*...................     $        --
                  Printing and engraving*.......................     $    500.00
                  Transfer Agent's and Registrar fees*..........     $        --
                  Miscellaneous expenses*.......................     $    797.77
                                                                     -----------
                  Total.........................................     $ 19,000.00
                                                                     ===========

             *    Estimated

             Item 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                  Article IV of the By-Laws of the Company ("By-Laws"), which is
             set forth below in its entirety,  provides for  indemnification  of
             officers,  directors,  employees  and agents  substantially  to the
             extent permitted under the New York Business Corporation Law.

                  Article IV of the By-Laws provides as follows:

                                       "ARTICLE IV"

                                      INDEMNIFICATION

                  INDEMNIFICATION.  The  Corporation  shall  (a)  indemnify  any
             person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
             any  threatened,  pending or completed  action or suit by or in the
             right of the  Corporation  to  procure a  judgment  in its favor by
             reason of the fact that he is or was a  director  or officer of the
             Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation
             as  a   director,   officer  or  agent  of   another   corporation,
             partnership,  joint  venture,  trust or other  enterprise,  against
             expenses  (including   attorneys'  fees)  actually  and  reasonably
             incurred by him in  connection  with the defense of  settlement  of
             such action or suit, (b) indemnify any person who was or is a party
             or is threatened to be made a party to any  threatened,  pending or
             completed  action,  suit or proceeding,  whether  civil,  criminal,
             administrative or investigative  (other than an action by or in the
             right of the Corporation),  by reason of the fact that he is or was
             a director or officer of the Corporation,  or served at the request
             of the  Corporation  as a director,  officer,  employee or agent of
             another  corporation,  partnership,  joint venture,  trust or other
             enterprise,  for expenses (including  attorneys' fees),  judgments,
             fines  and  amounts  paid in  settlement  actually  and  reasonably
             incurred  by him in  connection  with  any  such  action,  suit  or
             proceeding,  in each case to the fullest extent  permissible  under
             the  indemnification  provisions  of  Section  722 of the New  York
             Business  Corporation Law or any successor  


<PAGE>


             statute  and (c)  advance  reasonable  and  necessary  expenses  in
             connection with such actions or suits,  and not seek  reimbursement
             of such expenses unless there is a specific  determination that the
             officer or director is not  entitled to such  indemnification.  The
             foregoing right of indemnification  shall in no way be exclusive of
             any other rights of  indemnification  to which any such persons may
             be entitled, under any by-law,  agreement,  vote of shareholders or
             disinterested  directors  or  otherwise,  and  shall  inure  to the
             benefit  of the  heirs,  executors  and  administrators  of  such a
             person.

                  Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the
             Securities   Act  may  be  permitted  to  directors,   officers  or
             controlling  persons of the  Registrant  pursuant to the provisions
             referred to in Item 15 of this Registration Statement or otherwise,
             the  Registrant  has  been  advised  that  in  the  opinion  of the
             Securities and Exchange Commission such  indemnification is against
             public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
             unenforceable.

             ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS.

             Exhibits
             --------

             3.01*         Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

             3.02*         By-Laws of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to
                           the  Company's  Registration  Statement  on Form S-8,
                           File No. 33-8810)

             4.01*         Specimen Certificate for shares of Common Stock.

             5.01          Legal Opinion of Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP.

             10.25         Asset  Purchase  Agreement by and among Daniel Scott,
                           Inc.,  Steven Madden  Outlets,  Inc.,  Steven Madden,
                           Ltd. and Robert Schmertz.

             23.01         Consent of  Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP

             23.02         Consent of Berlack,  Israels & Liberman LLP (included
                           in Exhibit 5.01).

             *    Previously filed with and  incorporated  hereby with reference
                  to  the   Company's   Registration   Statement  on  Form  SB-2
                  (No.33-67162-NY,  as amended,  declared  effective on December
                  10, 1994.)

             ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.

                  (a)  RULE 415 OFFERING

                  The undersigned registrant will:

                  1. File,  during any period in which offers or sales are being
             made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to:


                                       14
<PAGE>


                  (i)   Include any prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3) of
             the Act;

                  (ii)  Reflect  in the  prospectus  any facts or events  which,
             individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in
             the information set forth in the registration statement;

                  (iii) Include any additional or changed  material  information
             on the plan of distribution;

                  2. For  determining  liability under the Securities Act, treat
             each such post-effective  amendment as a new registration statement
             of the securities  offered,  and the offering of such securities at
             that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering.

                  3. File a post-effective amendment to remove from registration
             any  of  the  securities  that  remain  unsold  at  the  end of the
             offering.

                  (c)  INDEMNIFICATION

                  Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the
             Securities   Act  may  be  permitted  to  directors,   officers  or
             controlling  persons of the  Registrant  pursuant to the provisions
             referred to in Item 15 of this Registration Statement or otherwise,
             the  Registrant  has  been  advised  that  in  the  opinion  of the
             Commission  such   indemnification  is  against  public  policy  as
             expressed in the Securities Act and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.
             In  the  event  that  a  claim  for  indemnification  against  such
             liabilities  (other than the payment by the  Registrant of expenses
             incurred or paid by a director,  officer or  controlling  person of
             the  Registrant in the  successful  defense of any action,  suit or
             proceeding)  is asserted by such  director,  officer or controlling
             person in connection  with the  securities  being  registered,  the
             Registrant  will,  unless in the  opinion of its counsel the matter
             has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of
             appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification
             by it is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities Act
             and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                  (d)  RULE 430A

                  The undersigned Registrant will:

                  (1) For  determining  any liability  under the Securities Act,
             treat the information  omitted from the form of prospectus filed as
             part of this registration  statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and
             contained  in the form of a prospectus  filed by the Company  under
             Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act as part of
             this Registration  Statement as of the time the Commission declared
             it effective.

                  (2) For  determining  any liability  under the Securities Act,
             treat  each  post-effective  amendment  that  contains  a  form  of
             prospectus  as a new  Registration  Statement  for  the  securities
             offered in the  Registration  Statement,  and the  offering  of the
             securities  at that time shall be deemed as the  initial  bona fide
             offering of those securities.


                                       15
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the  Registrant,  certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe that it
meets  all the  requirements  for  filing on Form S-3 and has duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized, in Long Island City, New York, on the 20th day of July, 1998.

                                       STEVEN MADDEN, LTD


                                       By: /s/ STEVEN MADDEN
                                          -------------------------------------
                                           Steven Madden
                                           Chairman of the Board, President and
                                           Chief Executive Officer

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  or  Amendments  thereto  has been  signed  below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature                               Title                         Date
- ---------                               -----                         ----

/s/ STEVEN MADDEN             Chairman of the Board, President    July 20, 1998
- ------------------------      and Chief Executive Officer
Steven Madden             


/s/ RHONDA BROWN              Chief Operating Officer             July 20, 1998
- ------------------------      and Director
Rhonda Brown              


/s/ ARVIND DHARIA             Chief Financial Officer             July 20, 1998
- ------------------------      and Director
Arvind Dharia             


/s/ JOHN BASILE               Director of Operations              July 20, 1998
- ------------------------      and Director
John Basile               

/s/ JOHN L. MADDEN            Director                            July 20, 1998
- ------------------------  
John L. Madden            

/s/ LES WAGNER                Director                            July 20, 1998
- ------------------------  
Les Wagner

/s/ PETER MIGLIORINI          Director                            July 20, 1998
- ------------------------  
Peter Migliorini

/s/ CHARLES KOPPELMAN         Director                            July 20, 1998
- ------------------------  
Charles Koppelman




                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.01




                 [LETTERHEAD OF BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP]


                                         July 10, 1998

Steven Madden, Ltd.
52-16 Barnett Avenue
Long Island City, NY  11105

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We  have  acted  as  counsel  for  Steven  Madden,  Ltd.,  a  New  York
corporation ("Company"), in connection with a Registration Statement on Form S-3
("Registration Statement") being filed contemporaneously herewith by the Company
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the  "Securities  Act"),  covering  64,520 shares (the "Shares") of the
Company's common stock, par value $.0001 per share, on behalf of certain selling
securityholders.

         In that connection,  we have examined the Certificate of Incorporation,
as  amended,  and  the  By-Laws  of the  Company,  the  Registration  Statement,
corporate  proceedings  of the Company  relating  to the  issuance of the Common
Stock and such other  instruments and documents as we have deemed relevant under
the circumstances.

         In making the aforesaid  examinations,  we have assumed the genuineness
of all  signatures  and the  conformity  to  original  documents  of all  copies
furnished to us as original or photostat  copies.  We have also assumed that the
corporate records of the Company include all corporate  proceedings taken by the
Company to date.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the
Shares  have  been  duly  authorized,  validly  issued  and are  fully  paid and
nonassessable.

         We hereby  consent to the use of this opinion as herein set forth as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                         Very truly yours,

                                         /s/ BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                             Berlack, Israels & Liberman Llp



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                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                  BY AND AMONG

                               DANIEL SCOTT, INC.,

                                ROBERT SCHMERTZ,

                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.

                                       AND

                           STEVEN MADDEN OUTLETS, INC.

                             DATED AS OF MAY 1, 1998



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<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                           PAGE


ARTICLE I....................................................................1
         1.1   CERTAIN DEFINITIONS...........................................1
         1.2   TRANSFER OF THE ASSETS........................................4
         1.3   ASSUMPTION BY THE BUYER OF CERTAIN LIABILITIES................4
         1.4   NON-ASSUMED LIABILITIES.......................................4
         1.5   PURCHASE PRICE FOR THE ASSETS; RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER.......5
         1.6   CLOSING ADJUSTMENTS...........................................5


ARTICLE II...................................................................5
         2.1   THE CLOSING...................................................5
         2.2   ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN ON THE CLOSING DATE............6


ARTICLE III..................................................................7
         3.1   ORGANIZATION AND QUALIFICATION................................7
         3.2   SUBSIDIARIES..................................................7
         3.3   VALIDITY AND EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT...........................7
         3.4   NO CONFLICT...................................................7
         3.5   LITIGATION....................................................8
         3.6   THE ASSETS....................................................8
         3.7   INTANGIBLE PROPERTY...........................................8
         3.8   NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE....................................8
         3.9   CONTRACTS AND OTHER AGREEMENTS................................8
         3.10  REAL ESTATE...................................................8
         3.11  ERISA.........................................................8
         3.12  ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.........................................9
         3.13  LICENSES AND PERMITS..........................................9
         3.14  INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIONS....................................9


ARTICLE IV..................................................................10
         4.1   ORGANIZATION AND QUALIFICATION...............................10
         4.2   VALIDITY AND EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT..........................10
         4.3   NO CONFLICT..................................................10
         4.4   THE SHARES...................................................11
         4.5   SEC REPORTS; DISCLOSURE......................................11

                                       i
<PAGE>


ARTICLE V...................................................................11
         5.1   SURVIVAL.....................................................11
         5.2   INDEMNIFICATION AND OTHER COVENANTS..........................12
         5.3   METHOD OF ASSERTING CLAIMS...................................12
         5.4   SUBROGATION; EXCLUSIVITY OF REMEDY...........................14
         5.5   NON-COMPETITION..............................................15


ARTICLE VI..................................................................15
         6.1   SALES AND TRANSFER TAXES.....................................15
         6.2   POST-CLOSING FURTHER ASSURANCES..............................15
         6.3   NOTICES......................................................16
         6.4   PUBLICITY....................................................17
         6.5   ENTIRE AGREEMENT.............................................17
         6.6   WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS.......................................17
         6.7   GOVERNING LAW................................................17
         6.8   BINDING EFFECT; NO ASSIGNMENT................................17
         6.9   VARIATIONS IN PRONOUNS.......................................17
         6.10  COUNTERPARTS.................................................17
         6.11  EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES.......................................17
         6.12  EFFECT OF DISCLOSURE ON SCHEDULES............................18
         6.13  HEADINGS.....................................................18
         6.14  SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS...................................18
         6.15  BROKERS......................................................18
         6.16  CHANGE AND USE OF NAME.......................................18

                                    EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT A - Assignment & Assumption Agreement
EXHIBIT B - Bill of Sale 
EXHIBIT C - Assignment of Lease and Landlord's  Consent
EXHIBIT D -  Registration  Rights Agreement
EXHIBIT E - Employment Agreement

                                    SCHEDULES

1.1(a)     - Excluded Assets
1.2        - Assets
1.3(b)     - Assumed Liabilities
3.9        - Material Agreements
3.10       - Real Estate


                                       ii
<PAGE>

                          ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

         ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of May 1, 1998 by and between Daniel
Scott, Inc., a New York corporation  ("Seller),  Steven Madden Outlets,  Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Buyer"),  Steven Madden, Ltd., a New York corporation
("Buyer Parent"), and Robert Schmertz ("Schmertz").

                              W I T N E S S E T H :

         WHEREAS,  the Seller is engaged in the  business of  operating a retail
shoe store under the name Shoe Biz located at 86 Main Street,  Mineola, NY 11501
(the "Business"); and

         WHEREAS,  the Seller  owns  certain  assets  comprising  the Assets (as
hereinafter defined) which are related to the conduct of the Business; and

         WHEREAS,  the  Seller  wishes  to  transfer,  and the  Buyer  wishes to
purchase,  the  Assets,  subject  to the  assumption  by the  Buyer  of  certain
liabilities of the Seller  comprising the Assumed  Liabilities  (as  hereinafter
defined) in exchange for the Shares (as hereafter defined); and

         WHEREAS,  Seller and Buyer have  adopted a plan of  reorganization  and
intend  that the sale of the  Assets  qualify  as a  reorganization  within  the
meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "Code").

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual terms,  conditions and
other agreements set forth herein,  the Seller,  Schmertz,  Buyer Parent and the
Buyer hereby agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

                      DEFINITIONS; PURCHASE OF THE ASSETS;
               ASSUMPTION OF ASSUMED LIABILITIES; PURCHASE PRICE;
         CLOSING ADJUSTMENTS; CONDITION OF ASSETS; ADDITIONAL SHARES

         1.1 CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement, the following terms
have the following meanings unless the context otherwise requires:

         "AFFILIATE"  means,  with  respect  to any  Person,  any  other  Person
controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person.

         "ASSETS" has the meaning specified in Section 1.2.

         "ASSIGNED  CONTRACTS AND LEASES" means the unexpired lease(s) set forth
in Schedule 3.10) and executory contracts set forth on Schedule 3.9.

                                       1
<PAGE>

         "ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT" means an instrument substantially
in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

         "ASSIGNMENT  OF LEASE  AND  LANDLORD'S  CONSENT"  means  an  instrument
substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.

         "BILL OF SALE" means an instrument substantially in the form of Exhibit
B attached hereto.

         "BUSINESS" has the meaning specified in the Recitals.

         "BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day
on which commercial banks are authorized or required by law to close in New York
City.

         "BUYER" has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.

         "CLAIM NOTICE" has the meaning specified in Section 5.3(a).

         "CLOSING" has the meaning specified in Section 2.1(a).

         "EFFECTIVE DATE" means 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 1998.

         "EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT" means an instrument substantially in the form of
Exhibit E attached hereto.

         "ENVIRONMENTAL  LAW"  means any and all  present  and  future  federal,
state, local and statutes,  laws,  regulations,  ordinances,  rules,  judgments,
orders, decrees, permits, grants, franchises, licenses or agreements relating to
(a) the protection of the environment,  health or workers safety;  (b) pollution
or  environmental  contamination;  or (c)  the  use,  processing,  distribution,
generation, treatment, storage, recycling,  transportation,  disposal, handling,
Release or  threatened  or potential  Release of any  Material of  Environmental
Concern.

         "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

         "EXCLUDED  ASSETS"  means those assets of the Seller or an Affiliate of
Seller set forth on Schedule 1.1(a).

         "GOVERNMENTAL  OR  REGULATORY  BODY" means any  government or political
subdivision  thereof,  whether federal,  state, county, local or foreign, or any
agency,  authority  or  instrumentality  of any  such  government  or  political
subdivision.

         "INDEMNIFIED PARTY" has the meaning specified in Section 5.3.

         "INDEMNIFYING PARTY" has the meaning specified in Section 5.3.

                                       2
<PAGE>

         "LANDLORD" means Barnet Michelman,  the landlord of the Seller's retail
store location at 86 Main street, Mineola, New York 11501.

         "LEASES" has the meaning specified in Section 3.10.

         "LIEN"  means  any  lien,  pledge,  hypothecation,  mortgage,  security
interest,  claim,  lease,  charge,  option,  right of first  refusal,  easement,
servitude,  transfer  restriction  under any  stockholder or similar  agreement,
encumbrance or any other restriction or limitation whatsoever.

         "LOSSES" has the meaning specified in Section 5.2.

         "MATERIAL  ADVERSE  EFFECT"  means any  change or  changes or effect or
effects that  individually or in the aggregate are or is reasonably  expected to
be  materially  adverse  to (a) the  Assets,  operations,  income or  conditions
(financial  or otherwise) of the Business or the  transactions  contemplated  by
this Agreement or (b) the ability of the Seller to perform its obligations under
this Agreement.

         "MATERIAL AGREEMENTS" has the meaning specified in Section 3.9.

         "NON-ASSUMED LIABILITIES" has the meaning specified in Section 1.4.

         "PERMITTED LIENS" means Liens for taxes not yet due.

         "PERSON" means any individual,  corporation,  partnership,  firm, joint
venture,  association,  joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization,
Governmental or Regulatory Body or other entity.

         "PLAN"  means  any  plan,   fund,   program,   understanding,   policy,
arrangement,  contract or  commitment,  whether  qualified or not  qualified for
federal income tax purposes, whether formal or informal, whether for the benefit
of a single  individual or more than one  individual,  which is in the nature of
(a) an employee  pension  benefit plan (as defined in ERISA Section 3(2)) (b) an
employee  welfare  benefit  plan (as  defined in ERISA  Section  3(1)) or (c) an
incentive,  deferred  compensation,  or other benefit arrangement for employees,
former employees, their dependents or their beneficiaries.

         "PURCHASE PRICE" has the meaning specified in Section 1.5.

         "RECORDS" shall mean files and records, including correspondence, books
of account,  employment records,  customer files, purchase and sales records and
correspondence,  advertising  records,  files and literature,  and other written
materials  of Seller  to the  extent  relating  to the  Assets or the  Business;
PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that Records shall not mean or include the corporate minute
books and stock records of Seller and any shares of capital stock of Seller, nor
shall they  include any  communications  that do not relate to the Assets or the
Business that are currently protected from disclosure by Seller by virtue of the
attorney-client privilege.

                                       3
<PAGE>

         "REGISTRATION  RIGHTS  AGREEMENT" means an instrument  substantially in
the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.

         "RELEASE"  means any spilling,  leaking,  pumping,  pouring,  emitting,
emptying, discharging,  injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing into
the environment.

         "SCHMERTZ" has the meaning  specified in the introductory  paragraph of
this Agreement.

         "SHARES" has the meaning specified in Section 1.5.

         "SELLER"  has the meaning  specified in the  introductory  paragraph of
this Agreement.

         "TAX" or  "TAXES"  mean  all  taxes,  charges,  fees,  levies  or other
assessments  imposed by any federal,  state,  local or foreign Taxing Authority,
including,  without limitation,  gross income, gross receipts,  income, capital,
excise,  property  (tangible  and  intangible),  sales,  transfer,  value added,
employment,  payroll  and  franchise  taxes and such  terms  shall  include  any
interest,  penalties or additions  attributable to or imposed on or with respect
to such assessments.

         1.2  TRANSFER OF THE ASSETS.  Subject to the terms and  conditions  set
forth in this  Agreement,  the  Seller  agrees  that,  on the date  hereof  (the
"Closing Date"), the Seller shall sell, transfer,  assign, convey and deliver to
the Buyer,  without  recourse,  representation  or warranty  except as otherwise
expressly  provided herein and Buyer shall purchase from the Seller,  all of the
assets  owned,  used or held by the Seller to conduct  the  Business,  including
without limitation the assets set forth on Schedule 1.2, other than the Excluded
Assets (the "Assets"), free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens.

         1.3  ASSUMPTION  BY THE BUYER OF  CERTAIN  LIABILITIES.  Subject to the
terms and  conditions  set forth in this  Agreement,  Buyer agrees that,  on the
Closing Date but  effective  as of the  Effective  Date,  Buyer shall assume and
thereafter  pay,  perform  or  discharge,  as the  case  may be,  the  following
obligations and liabilities of the Seller (the "Assumed Liabilities"):

         (a) all obligations and liabilities of the Seller arising out of, or in
connection with, the Assigned Contracts and Leases;

         (b) all liabilities of the Seller  outstanding as of the Effective Date
reflected  on Schedule  1.3 (b)  attached  hereto not to exceed  $150,000 in the
aggregate; and

         (c) all  liabilities and obligations of Seller incurred in the ordinary
course of business during the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending
on the Closing Date.

         1.4  NON-ASSUMED  LIABILITIES.  The  Buyer  shall  not  assume  nor  be
responsible  for any  liabilities  or  obligations  of the  Seller or any of its
Affiliates other than the Assumed Liabilities (the "Non-Assumed Liabilities").

                                       4
<PAGE>

         1.5  PURCHASE  PRICE FOR THE  ASSETS;  RESTRICTIONS  ON  TRANSFER.  The
consideration  for the Assets  shall be the (i)  assumption  by the Buyer of the
Assumed Liabilities;  and (ii) the delivery on the Closing Date of 64,520 shares
of common  stock of Buyer Parent (the  "Shares")  (collectively,  the  "Purchase
Price"). Except as contemplated by the Note (as hereinafter defined), Seller and
Schmertz  agree  (and,  if  necessary,  cause  his wife to  agree)  not to sell,
transfer,  pledge,  hypothecate  or otherwise  encumber  more than 32,260 shares
during the eighteen (18) month period (the  "Restricted  Period")  following the
date hereof without the prior written consent of the Buyer;  provided,  however,
that  (i)  Seller  may  transfer  the  Shares  to  Schmertz  and his  wife  upon
liquidation of Seller and (ii) Seller or Schmertz,  as the case may be, may sell
such additional  shares in order to repay the outstanding  principal  amount and
accrued and unpaid  interest on that certain  promissory  note dated May 1, 1998
issued by Schmertz to Buyer (the "Note").  At the  conclusion of the  Restricted
Period and upon the request of Seller or Schmertz,  Buyer Parent shall cause its
transfer agent to remove any  restrictive  legend  contemplated by the preceding
sentence.

         1.6 CLOSING  ADJUSTMENTS.  (a)  Adjustments  shall be made  between the
Seller  and the  Buyer as of the  Effective  Date with  respect  to the rent and
additional rent or charges  (including,  but not limited to,  additional rent or
charges  for real  estate  taxes,  water  charges,  insurance  and  common  area
maintenance)  payable  by or to the  Seller  pursuant  to  the  Lease  with  the
Landlord.

         (b) The net amount of any  closing  adjustments  in favor of the Seller
shall be paid to the Seller on the Closing Date in immediately  available funds,
and the net amount of any  closing  adjustments  in favor of the Buyer  shall be
paid to the Buyer on the Closing  Date in shares of common stock of Buyer Parent
valued as specified in Section 5.3(d).

         (c) Any errors or omissions in computing closing adjustments discovered
after Closing Date shall be corrected promptly upon discovery. The obligation of
the parties under this Section shall survive the Closing.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                     CLOSING

         2.1 THE CLOSING. (a) The consummation of the transactions  contemplated
by this Agreement (the "Closing") shall be held  simultaneous with the execution
of this  Agreement at the offices of Berlack,  Israels & Liberman  LLP, 120 West
45th Street, New York, New York 10036.

         (b) At the Closing, the Seller shall execute and deliver or cause to be
executed and delivered to the Buyer, all documents and instruments  necessary to
transfer to the Buyer, all of the right, title and interest of the Seller in and
to the Assets, including, without limitation:

                (i) the  Assignment  and  Assumption  Agreement,  signed  by the
Seller;

               (ii) the  Bill of Sale, as applicable, signed by the Seller; and

              (iii) the Assignment of  Lease  and Landlord's  Consent, signed by
the Seller and the Landlord.

                                       5
<PAGE>

         (c) At the Closing, the Buyer shall:

                (i)  execute  and  deliver  to the  Seller  the  Assignment  and
Assumption Agreement;

               (ii)  assume  the   Assumed  Liabilities   effective  as  of  the
Effective Date; and

              (iii)  deliver the Shares to the Seller.

         (d) At the Closing,  the Buyer and Schmertz  shall  execute and deliver
the Employment Agreement.

         (e) At the  Closing,  the Buyer  Parent and Seller  shall  execute  and
deliver the Registration Rights Agreement.

         2.2 ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN ON THE CLOSING DATE.

         (a) LIENS/CONSENTS.  The Seller shall have satisfied and discharged all
Liens on the Assets,  except for  Permitted  Liens and  provided  the Buyer with
evidence of such satisfaction and discharge as well as all necessary consents to
transfer or assign the Assets to Buyer,  in form and substance  satisfactory  to
the Buyer.

         (b) SHAREHOLDER CONSENT. The Buyer shall have received a consent to the
transactions contemplated by this agreement signed by all of the shareholders of
Seller.

         (c) BULK SALES ACT. Other than with respect to the Assumed Liabilities,
Schmertz  agrees to indemnify Buyer and Buyer Parent from any Losses incurred by
Buyer and Buyer  Parent  arising  out of or  resulting  from the  failure of the
Seller to comply with Article 6 of the Uniform  Commercial  Code of the State of
New York.  Buyer and Buyer Parent hereby waive compliance with the provisions of
any  applicable  bulk  sales  law of any  jurisdiction  in  connection  with the
transactions  contemplated  hereby and no  representation,  warranty or covenant
contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to have been breached as a result of
such non-compliance.

                                       6
<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE III

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
                           OF THE SELLER AND SCHMERTZ

The Seller and Schmertz jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Buyer
as follows:

         3.1 ORGANIZATION  AND  QUALIFICATION.  Seller is a corporation  validly
existing  and in good  standing  under the laws of the  State of New York  doing
business as "Shoe Biz", and has all requisite  corporate  power and authority to
(a) own,  lease and  operate  its  properties  and assets as they are now owned,
leased and operated and (b) carry on its business as now presently conducted and
as proposed to be  conducted.  Seller is duly  qualified  to do business in each
jurisdiction  in which the  nature of its  business  or  properties  makes  such
qualification  necessary,  except  where the  failure  to do so would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.

         3.2 SUBSIDIARIES. Seller has no subsidiaries.


         3.3.  VALIDITY AND  EXECUTION OF  AGREEMENT.  Seller has the full legal
right,  capacity and power and all  requisite  corporate  authority and approval
required  to enter  into,  execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  and any other
agreement  or  instrument   contemplated   hereby,  and  to  perform  fully  its
obligations  hereunder  and  thereunder.  The  shareholders  and  the  board  of
directors of Seller have each approved the transactions contemplated pursuant to
this  Agreement  and each of the other  agreements  required to be entered  into
pursuant  hereto  by  Seller.  This  Agreement  and such  other  agreements  and
instruments have been duly executed and delivered by Seller and each constitutes
the valid and binding obligation of Seller enforceable  against it in accordance
with  its  terms,  except  as may be  limited  by  any  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
reorganization,   moratorium,   fraudulent   transfer  or  other  laws  (whether
statutory, regulatory or decisional), now or hereafter in effect, relating to or
affecting  the  rights  of  creditors  generally  or  by  equitable   principles
(regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

         3.4 NO CONFLICT.  Neither the execution and delivery of this  Agreement
nor the performance by the Seller or Schmertz of the  transactions  contemplated
hereby  will  violate  or  conflict  with  (a)  any  of  the  provisions  of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws or other organizational documents of the
Seller;  (b) result in the  acceleration  of, or entitle any party to accelerate
the maturity or the cancellation of the performance of any obligation  under, or
result  in the  creation  or  imposition  of any Lien in or upon the  Assets  or
constitute a default (or an event which  might,  with the passage of time or the
giving of notice, or both,  constitute a default) under any material contract to
which  Seller is a party  other than (1) as  specifically  set forth on Schedule
3.9,  (2)  any  contract  or  instrument   evidencing  any  of  the  Non-Assumed
Liabilities,  and (3) such contract  violations,  accelerations,  cancellations,
defaults or Liens as do not  individually  or in the  aggregate  have a Material
Adverse  Effect;  and,  (c) any  order,  judgment,  regulation  or ruling of any
Governmental  or Regulatory  Body to which the Seller and Schmertz is a party or
by which any of its  property  or assets  may be bound or  affected  or with any
provision  of any law,  rule,  regulation,  order,  judgment,  or  ruling of any
Governmental  or  Regulatory  Body  applicable  to the  Seller  other  than such
violations or conflicts as do not or will not  individually  or in the aggregate
have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                       7
<PAGE>

         3.5   LITIGATION.   There  are  no   outstanding   orders,   judgments,
injunctions,  investigations,  awards or decrees of any court,  Governmental  or
Regulatory  Body or  arbitration  tribunal  by which the  Seller,  or any of its
securities,  assets,  properties  or  business  is bound.  There are no actions,
suits,  claims,  investigations,  legal,  administrative or arbitral proceedings
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Seller,  threatened (whether or not the
defense  thereof or  liabilities  in respect  thereof are covered by  insurance)
against or  affecting  the  Seller,  or any of its assets or  properties,  that,
individually  or in the aggregate,  are  reasonably  expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.

         3.6 THE ASSETS.  The Seller owns  outright and has good title to all of
the owned Assets free and clear of any Lien,  other than  Permitted  Liens.  The
Assignment and  Assumption  Agreement and such other  conveyancing  documents as
shall have been  executed  and  delivered to the Buyer will convey good title to
the Assets,  free and clear of any Liens, except for Permitted Liens. Except for
the assets described on Schedule 1.1(a), the Assets transferred  pursuant hereto
constitute all of the assets  necessary and  appropriate  for the conduct of the
Business as of the date hereof in substantially  the same manner as the Business
has heretofore been conducted.

         3.7  INTANGIBLE  PROPERTY.  To the best knowledge of the Seller without
having conducted any investigation, (i) no patent, invention, trademark, service
mark or trade name of any other Person  infringes  upon, or is infringed upon by
any of the trademarks, service marks, logos or tradenames of the Seller and (ii)
the  operation of the Business has not  infringed on the  intellectual  property
rights of others.

         3.8 NO MATERIAL  ADVERSE CHANGE.  Since January 1, 1998, there has been
no material adverse change in the Business, operations or financial condition of
the  Seller,  or in the  assets,  liabilities,  net worth or  properties  of the
Seller, and the Seller knows of no such change that is threatened, nor has there
been any damage, destruction or loss which could have a Material Adverse Effect,
whether or not covered by insurance.

         3.9 CONTRACTS AND OTHER AGREEMENTS. Schedule 3.9 sets forth all written
agreements  (and, to the best knowledge of the Seller,  any oral  agreement) and
arrangements  that materially  affect the operations of the Business or to which
Seller is a party (collectively, the "Material Agreements").

         3.10  REAL  ESTATE.  Schedule  3.10  sets  forth  a list  and  supplies
descriptions of all leases or subleases (the "Leases") under which the Seller is
lessor or lessee of any real property.  A true, correct and complete copy of all
Leases  have  been  delivered  or  made  available  to the  Buyer.  To  Seller's
knowledge, the Lease is in full force and effect and the Seller has not received
any notice of any default thereunder.

         3.11 ERISA. The Seller does not sponsor,  maintain, have any obligation
to contribute to, have any liability under, and is not otherwise a party to, any
Plan.

                                       8
<PAGE>

         3.12  ENVIRONMENTAL  MATTERS.  The  Seller is not in  violation  of, or
delinquent in respect to, any  Environmental  Law which violation or delinquency
would have a Material Adverse Effect.

         3.13 LICENSES AND PERMITS.  Any permits,  licenses,  registrations  and
consents  which are necessary in  connection  with the Seller's  operations  and
properties,  are in full  force and  effect  and in good  standing,  except  for
permits,  licenses,  registrations or consents which the failure to obtain would
not have a Material Adverse Effect.

         3.14  INVESTMENT  REPRESENTATIVES.  The  issuance of the Shares in this
transaction  is intended to be a private  transaction  exempt from  registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and is made
in reliance upon the representations set forth below.

         (a) Seller is acquiring  the Shares for its own account for  investment
only and not with a view to, or for sale in connection  with, a distribution  of
the  Shares  in  violation  of the  Securities  Act  and  any  applicable  state
securities or blue-sky laws;

         (b) Seller acknowledges to the Buyer that:

                  (i) the Buyer has advised Seller that the Shares have not been
registered  under the Securities Act or under the laws of any state on the basis
that the issuance  thereof  contemplated  by this  Agreement is exempt from such
registration  and the  certificate  representing  the  Shares  shall  contain  a
restrictive legend reflecting the fact that the Shares have not been registered;

                  (ii)  the  Buyer's   reliance  on  the  availability  of  such
exemption  is, in part,  based upon the  accuracy and  truthfulness  of Seller's
representations contained herein;

                  (iii) the Shares cannot be resold without  registration  or an
exemption  under the  Securities  Act and such state  securities  laws, and that
certificates  representing  the Shares  will bear a  restrictive  legend to such
effect as well as a restrictive  legend in accordance  with the  restrictions on
transfer contained in Section 1.5;

                  (iv) Seller has  evaluated  the merits and risks of  acquiring
the Shares and has such  knowledge  and  experience  in  financial  and business
matters and is capable of evaluating  the merits and risks of such  acquisition,
is aware of and has  considered  the financial  risks and  financial  hazards of
acquiring  the Shares,  and is able to bear the economic  risk of acquiring  the
Shares, including the possibility of a complete loss with respect thereto.

         3.15 EXCLUSIVITY OF REPRESENTATIONS;  RELIANCE ON REPRESENTATIONS.  The
representations and warranties made by Seller and Schmertz in this Agreement are
in  lieu of and are  exclusive  of all  other  representations  and  warranties,
including,  without  limitation,  any implied warranty of  merchantability or of
fitness for a particular  purpose and any other implied warranties of Seller and
Schmertz.  Seller and Schmertz  each hereby  disclaims any such other or implied
representations  or  warranties,  notwithstanding  the delivery or disclosure by
Seller and Schmertz or any other person to Buyer or Buyer Parent or any of their
directors, officers, employees, agents or representatives,  of any documentation
or other  information  in  connection  with this  Agreement or the  transactions
contemplated hereby.

                                       9
<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE IV

          REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER AND BUYER PARENT

         The  Buyer and Buyer  Parent,  jointly  and  severally,  represent  and
warrant to the Seller and Schmertz as follows:

         4.1 ORGANIZATION AND QUALIFICATION.  The Buyer is a corporation validly
existing  and in good  standing  under the laws of the State of Delaware and has
all requisite  corporate  power and authority to (a) own,  lease and operate its
properties  and assets as they are now owned,  leased and operated and (b) carry
on its business as now presently  conducted and is duly qualified to do business
in each  jurisdiction  in which the nature of its business or  properties  makes
such  qualification  necessary.  Buyer  will as soon as  practicable  after  the
Closing be duly qualified to do business in the State of New York.  Buyer Parent
is a corporation  validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the
State of New York.

         4.2 VALIDITY AND  EXECUTION  OF  AGREEMENT.  The Buyer and Buyer Parent
each has the full legal right,  capacity and power and all  requisite  corporate
authority  and  approval  required  to enter  into,  execute  and  deliver  this
Agreement and any other  agreement or  instrument  contemplated  hereby,  and to
perform  fully  its  respective   obligations  hereunder  and  thereunder.   The
respective board of directors of the Buyer and Buyer Parent each has approved to
the extent required by law the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement and
each of the other agreements  required to be entered into pursuant hereto by the
Buyer and Buyer  Parent and no other  corporate  or  shareholder  approvals  are
required.  This Agreement and such other  agreements and  instruments  have been
duly executed and  delivered by the Buyer and Buyer Parent and each  constitutes
the valid and  binding  obligation  of the  Buyer and Buyer  Parent  enforceable
against them in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited
by any bankruptcy, insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium, fraudulent transfer
or other laws (whether statutory, regulatory or decisional), now or hereafter in
effect,  relating  to or  affecting  the  rights of  creditors  generally  or by
equitable principles (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or
in equity).

         4.3 NO CONFLICT.  Neither the execution and delivery of this  Agreement
nor the performance by the Buyer of the  transactions  contemplated  herein will
violate  or  conflict  with  (a)  any  of the  provisions  of  their  respective
Certificates of  Incorporation or By-Laws or other  organizational  documents of
Buyer and Buyer  Parent;  or (b) result in the  acceleration  of, or entitle any
party to accelerate the maturity or the  cancellation  of the performance of any
obligation  under,  or  result  in the  creation  or  imposition  of any Lien or
constitute a default (or an event which  might,  with the passage of time or the
giving of notice, or both,  constitute a default) under any material contract to
which Buyer or Buyer Parent is a party, other than (1) such contract violations,
accelerations, cancellations, defaults or Liens as do not individually or in the
aggregate  have a  material  adverse  effect  on Buyer or Buyer  Parent or their
ability to perform  their  obligations  hereunder or under the other  agreements

                                       10
<PAGE>

contemplated  hereby,  (2) any  order,  judgment,  regulation  or  ruling of any
Governmental or Regulatory Body to which the Buyer or Buyer Parent is a party or
by which any of its  respective  property  or assets may be bound or affected or
with any provision of any law, rule,  regulation,  order, judgment, or ruling of
any  Governmental  or Regulatory  Body  applicable to the Buyer or Buyer Parent,
other  than  such  violations  or  conflicts  as do not  individually  or in the
aggregate  have a  material  adverse  effect  on Buyer or Buyer  Parent or their
ability to perform  their  obligations  hereunder or under the other  agreements
contemplated hereby.


         4.4 THE SHARES.  The Shares have been duly and validly  authorized  and
issued by Buyer Parent and are fully paid and non-assessable.


         4.5 SEC REPORTS; DISCLOSURE. .

         (a)  Buyer has  delivered  to  Seller a true and  complete  copy of the
Annual Report on Form 10-K for Buyer Parent for the year ended December 31, 1997
and all 10-Q and 8-K  reports  for Buyer  Parent  filed since the filing of such
10-K  by  Buyer  Parent  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission  (the
"SEC")(collectively,  the "Buyer Reports").  As of their respective dates, Buyer
Reports  complied in all material  respects with the applicable  requirements of
the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and the rules and regulations
of the SEC, and, as of their  respective  dates,  no Buyer Report  contained any
untrue  statement of material fact or omits to state a material fact required to
be stated or incorporated by reference therein or necessary in order to make the
statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances  under which they were made,
not misleading.

         (b) The  financial  statements  contained  in the Buyer  Reports are in
accordance with the books and records regularly maintained with respect to Buyer
Parent and  present  fairly the  financial  conditions  as of and the results of
operations  and cash flow for the dates and periods so indicated,  in accordance
with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP").

         4.6 NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE. Since December 31, 1997, there has been
no material  adverse  change in the business of the Buyer or Buyer  Parent,  the
liabilities, net worth or properties of the Buyer or Buyer Parent.

                                    ARTICLE V

                       INDEMNIFICATION AND OTHER COVENANTS

         5.1  SURVIVAL.  Subject  to  this  Section  5.1,  all  representations,
warranties,   covenants  and  agreements   contained  in  this  Agreement,   the
Registration  Rights  Agreement  or  in  any  exhibit,  certificate,  agreement,
document or statement  delivered  pursuant  hereto (an  "Ancillary  Instrument")
shall  survive  (and not be  affected  in any  respect  by) the  Closing and any
investigation conducted by any party hereto.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
representations  and warranties  contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement
or any Ancillary  Instrument and the related indemnity  obligations set forth in
Article V, shall  terminate on, and no claim or action with respect  thereto may
be brought after,  the date that is two years after the Effective  Date,  except
that the representations and warranties  contained in Sections 3.6 and 4.4 shall
survive in perpetuity.

                                       11
<PAGE>

         5.2 INDEMNIFICATION.  (a) The Seller and Schmertz jointly and severally
agree to  indemnify,  defend and hold  harmless  the Buyer and Buyer  Parent and
their respective directors, officers, employees, shareholders and any Affiliates
of the foregoing,  and their  successors and assigns  (collectively,  the "Buyer
Group")  from and  against  any and all losses,  liabilities  (including  to the
extent arising from third-party claims,  punitive or exemplary damages and fines
or penalties and any interest thereon),  expenses (including reasonable fees and
disbursements  of counsel and expenses of  investigation  and defense),  claims,
Liens or other obligations of any nature whatsoever (hereinafter individually, a
"Loss" and  collectively,  "Losses")  suffered  or  incurred  by the Buyer Group
which,  directly or indirectly,  arise out of, result from or relate to, (i) any
inaccuracy in or any breach (as of the Effective Date) of any  representation or
warranty of the Seller contained in Article III, (ii) any breach of any covenant
or agreement of the Seller,  in each case  contained in this Agreement or in any
other document contemplated by this Agreement,  (iii) any Taxes of the Seller or
Schmertz  attributable to the period prior to the Effective Date, other than any
Taxes  included  within  the  Assumed  Liabilities  (a "Tax  Loss")  or (iv) any
liability or obligation  arising out of the operation of the Business before the
Effective Date,  except for the Assumed  Liabilities.  Notwithstanding  anything
provided in this Agreement, Seller and Schmertz shall not be responsible for any
Losses (other than Tax Losses),  until the cumulative  aggregate  amount of such
Losses exceeds $15,000 (the "Minimum Amount"), in which case Seller and Schmertz
shall then be liable only for such Losses in excess of the Minimum  Amount,  and
the cumulative aggregate indemnity obligation of Seller and Schmertz shall in no
event exceed $500,000 (the "Maximum Amount"). With respect to a Tax Loss, Seller
and  Schmertz's  liability  shall not be limited  in any  manner by the  Minimum
Amount or the Maximum Amount.

         (b)  The  Buyer  and  Buyer  Parent  jointly  and  severally  agree  to
indemnify,  defend and hold  harmless  Schmertz,  the Seller and its  respective
directors,  officers,  employees,  and  shareholders,  and any Affiliates of the
foregoing,  and their successors and assigns from and against any and all Losses
suffered or incurred by them which, directly or indirectly, arise out of, result
from or relate to (i) any inaccuracy in or any breach (as of the Effective Date)
of any  representation  or warranty of the Buyer or Buyer  Parent  contained  in
Article IV, (ii) any breach of any  covenant or  agreement of the Buyer or Buyer
Parent contained in this Agreement or in any other document contemplated by this
Agreement,  (iii) the Assumed  Liabilities,  or (iv) any liability or obligation
arising out of the operation of the Business after the Effective Date.

         5.3 METHOD OF  ASSERTING  CLAIMS.  The party  making a claim under this
Article V is referred to as the  "Indemnified  Party" and the party against whom
such  claims  are  asserted   under  this  Article  V  is  referred  to  as  the
"Indemnifying  Party".  All claims by any Indemnified Party under this Article V
shall be asserted and resolved as follows:

                                       12
<PAGE>

         (a) In the event  that any claim or  demand  for which an  Indemnifying
Party would be liable to an Indemnified  Party hereunder is asserted  against or
sought  to be  collected  from such  Indemnified  Party by a third  party,  said
Indemnified  Party  shall  with  reasonable  promptness  notify in  writing  the
Indemnifying  Party of such  claim  or  demand,  specifying  the  nature  of the
specific basis for such claim or demand,  and the amount or the estimated amount
thereof to the extent then feasible  (which  estimate shall not be conclusive of
the final amount of such claim and demand;  any such notice,  together  with any
notice given pursuant to Section 5.3(b)  hereof,  collectively  being the "Claim
Notice"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any failure to give such Claim Notice will not
be deemed a waiver of any rights of the  Indemnified  Party except to the extent
the rights of the  Indemnifying  Party are actually  prejudiced  or harmed.  The
Indemnifying  Party, upon request of the Indemnified Party, shall retain counsel
(who shall be reasonably  acceptable to the Indemnified  Party) to represent the
Indemnified Party, and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel with
regard  thereto,  PROVIDED,  FURTHER,  that  any  Indemnified  Party  is  hereby
authorized  prior  to the  date on which it  receives  written  notice  from the
Indemnifying Party designating such counsel, to retain counsel, whose reasonable
fees and expenses shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, to file any
motion,  answer or other pleading and take such other action which it reasonably
shall deem necessary to protect its interests or those of the Indemnifying Party
until the date on which the  Indemnified  Party  receives  such  notice from the
Indemnifying Party. After the Indemnifying Party shall retain such counsel,  the
Indemnified  Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel,  but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such  Indemnified  Party
unless (i) the Indemnifying  Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually
agreed to the  retention of such  counsel or (ii) the named  parties of any such
proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Party
and the Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel
would be inappropriate  due to actual or potential  differing  interests between
them. The  Indemnifying  Party shall not, in connection  with any proceedings or
related proceedings in the same jurisdiction,  be liable for the reasonable fees
and expenses of more than one such firm for the Indemnified Party (except to the
extent  the  Indemnified   Party  retained   counsel  to  protect  its  (or  the
Indemnifying   Party's)  rights  prior  to  the  selection  of  counsel  by  the
Indemnifying  Party).  The  Indemnified  Party  agrees  to  cooperate  with  the
Indemnifying  Party and its counsel in contesting  any claim or demand which the
Indemnifying Party defends. No claim or demand may be settled by an Indemnifying
Party or, where permitted  pursuant to this Agreement,  by an Indemnified  Party
without the consent of the Indemnified Party in the first case or the consent of
the  Indemnifying  Party  in  the  second  case,  which  consent  shall  not  be
unreasonably withheld, unless such settlement shall be accompanied by a complete
release of the Indemnified Party in the first case or the Indemnifying  Party in
the second case.

         (b) In the event any  Indemnified  Party shall have a claim against any
Indemnifying  Party  hereunder  which does not  involve a claim or demand  being
asserted  against  or  sought  to be  collected  from it by a third  party,  the
Indemnified  Party shall send a Claim  Notice with  respect to such claim to the
Indemnifying  Party. If the Indemnifying  Party does not dispute such claim, the
amount of such claim shall be paid to the  Indemnified  Party within thirty (30)
days of receipt of the Claim Notice.

                                       13
<PAGE>

         (c) So long as any right to  indemnification  exists  pursuant  to this
Article  V, the  affected  parties  each  agree to retain  all  books,  records,
accounts,  instruments and documents  reasonably related to the Claim Notice. In
each instance, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to be kept informed by
the  Indemnifying  Party and its legal  counsel with respect to all  significant
matters  relating to any legal  proceedings.  Any  information or documents made
available  to  any  party   hereunder,   which   information  is  designated  as
confidential by the party providing such  information and which is not otherwise
generally  available  to the  public,  or  which  information  is not  otherwise
lawfully  obtained from third parties or not already within the knowledge of the
party to whom the  information  is  provided  (unless  otherwise  covered by the
confidentiality  provisions of any other agreement among the parties hereto,  or
any of them),  and except as may be required by  applicable  law or requested by
third party  lenders to such party,  shall not be  disclosed to any third Person
(except  for  the   representatives   of  the  party  being  provided  with  the
information,  in which event the party being provided with the information shall
request  its  representatives  not to  disclose  any such  information  which it
otherwise required hereunder to be kept confidential).

         (d) To the extent a Loss occurs under Section 5.2(a)(i) or (ii), for so
long as Seller,  Schmertz, an affiliate thereof or any family member of Schmertz
owns  any  Shares  Buyer  shall  be  indemnified   by  Seller's   surrender  for
cancellation  of Shares  having a fair  market  value  equal to such  Loss.  For
purposes  of this  paragraph,  fair  market  value of the Shares  shall mean the
average   market   price  of  the  Shares  for  five   trading  days  before  an
indemnification  claim is paid.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  to the extent a
Tax Loss  occurs,  Buyer shall be  indemnified  by Buyer's  payment to Seller of
immediately  available funds. Any indemnification  pursuant to Section 5.2 shall
be treated as an adjustment to the Purchase Price.

         5.4      SUBROGATION; EXCLUSIVITY OF REMEDY.

                  (a) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement, upon
payment of any amount pursuant to any  indemnification  claim,  the Indemnifying
Party  shall  be  subrogated,  to the  extent  of  such  payment,  to all of the
Indemnified  Party's rights of recovery  against any third party with respect to
the matters to which such indemnification claim relates.

                  (b) Notwithstanding  anything contained in this Agreement, the
rights and  remedies  of Seller,  Schmertz,  Buyer and Buyer  Parent  under this
Article V are  exclusive  and in lieu of any and all other  rights and  remedies
which  Seller and  Schmertz or Buyer and Buyer  Parent,  as the case may be, may
have against the other,  under this Agreement or otherwise,  (i) with respect to
(x) the  inaccuracy  of any  representation,  warranty,  certification  or other
statement made (or deemed made) by Seller and Schmertz or Buyer and Buyer Parent
in or pursuant to this  Agreement or any Ancillary  Instrument or (y) any breach
of, or failure to perform or comply with, any covenant or agreement set forth in
this  Agreement  or in any  Ancillary  Instrument  or (ii) with  respect  to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. All claims for indemnification must
be asserted,  if at all, in good faith and in accordance  with the provisions of
this Article V and, to the extent applicable to such claims, within the relevant
time period set forth in this Article V.

                                       14
<PAGE>

         5.5 NON-COMPETITION.

         (a) Seller and Schmertz  acknowledge that (i) Seller's operation of the
Business has brought it in close  contact with certain  confidential  affairs of
the  Business  not readily  available  to the  public;  and (ii) Buyer would not
purchase the Assets and assume the Assumed  Liabilities  but for the  agreements
and covenants of Seller contained in this Section 5.5.

         (b) Seller shall not in the New York City metropolitan  area,  directly
or indirectly,  for a period consisting of one year following the Effective Date
(the  "Restricted  Period"),  (i) engage in the  Restricted  Activities  or (ii)
become  affiliated with any person engaged in the Restricted  Activities  (other
than  Buyer and Buyer  Parent)  as a  partner,  shareholder,  principal,  agent,
trustee, consultant or lender; provided however, that this Section 5.5 shall not
be  construed  to prohibit  the  ownership of not more than 2% of the issued and
outstanding  voting  securities of any class of any company whose voting capital
stock is  traded  on a  national  securities  exchange  or the  over-the-counter
market.   "Restricted   Activities"  means  the  sale,   marketing,   design  or
distribution of footwear products,  or provide technical  assistance,  advice or
counseling regarding the footwear industry. If any of the restrictions contained
in this Section 5.5 shall be deemed to be unenforceable by reason of the extent,
duration or geographical scope thereof, or otherwise, then the court making such
determination shall have the right to reduce such extent, duration, geographical
scope, or other  provisions  hereof,  and in its reduced form this Section shall
then be enforceable in the manner contemplated hereby.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         6.1 SALES AND TRANSFER TAXES. All required filings under any applicable
Federal,  state,  foreign  or local  sales  tax,  stamp tax or  similar  laws or
regulations shall be made in a timely manner by the party  responsible  therefor
under  such  laws and  regulations,  and,  within  ten (10) days  following  the
Closing,  such party shall deliver to the other parties  either (a) proof of the
payment of any sales tax assessed  pursuant to such filings or (b) statements of
no sales tax due,  as the case may be.  Buyer  shall  pay any and all  transfer,
sales  or stamp  taxes  and any  similar  taxes or  assessments  imposed  on the
transfer of the Assets and the Assumed  Liabilities in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, including but not limited to any New York state real property
transfer tax.

         6.2 POST-CLOSING  FURTHER ASSURANCES.  (a) At any time and from time to
time after the Closing Date at the request of either party,  and without further
consideration,  the other party will execute and deliver, or cause the execution
and  delivery  of,  such  other  instruments  of  sale,  transfer,   conveyance,
assignment and  confirmation  and take or cause to be taken such other action as
the party  requesting  the same may  reasonably  deem  necessary or desirable in
order to transfer,  convey and assign more  effectively to the requesting  party
all of the property and rights intended to be conveyed to such party pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement.

                                       15
<PAGE>

         (b) Seller,  Schmertz,  Buyer and Buyer Parent agree to report the sale
of Assets for income Tax  purposes as a tax-free  reorganization  under  Section
368(a)(1)(C)  of the Code  (and any  corresponding  provision  of state or local
income tax law).

         6.3 NOTICES.  All notices,  requests,  demands and other communications
required or  permitted  to be given  hereunder  shall be in writing and shall be
given personally,  sent by facsimile transmission or sent by prepaid air courier
or certified, registered or express mail, postage prepaid. Any such notice shall
be deemed to have been given (a) when received,  if delivered in person, sent by
facsimile  transmission  and confirmed in writing within three (3) Business Days
thereafter or sent by prepaid air courier or (b) two (2) Business Days following
the mailing thereof,  if mailed by certified first class mail,  postage prepaid,
return receipt requested,  in any such case as follows (or to such other address
or  addresses  as a party may have  advised the other in the manner  provided in
this Section 6.4):

                  If to Seller and Schmertz, to:

                               Robert Schmertz
                               Daniel Scott, Inc.
                               86 Main Street
                               Mineola, NY  11501

                  with a copy to:

                               Hughes Hubbard & Reed, LLP
                               One Battery Park Plaza
                               New York, New York  10004
                               Attn:  Kenneth A. Lefkowitz, Esq.
                               Telephone Number (212) 837-6000
                               Telecopier Number (212) 422-4726

                  If to Buyer or to Buyer Parent to:

                               Steven Madden Retail, Inc.
                               52-16 Barnett Avenue
                               Long Island City, New York 11104
                               Attn:  Steven Madden
                               Telephone Number (718) 446-1800
                               Telecopier Number (718) 446-5599

                  with a copy to:

                               Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP
                               120 West 45th Street
                               New York, New York 10036
                               Attn:  Alan N. Forman, Esq.
                               Telephone Number (212) 704-0100
                               Telecopier Number (212) 704-0196

                                       16
<PAGE>

         6.4 PUBLICITY.  No publicity  release or  announcement  concerning this
Agreement or the transactions  contemplated hereby shall be made without advance
approval thereof by the Buyer and the Seller.

         6.5 ENTIRE  AGREEMENT.  This  Agreement  (including  the  Exhibits  and
Schedules)  and the  agreements,  certificates  and  other  documents  delivered
pursuant to this Agreement  contain the entire  agreement among the parties with
respect  to  the  transactions   described  herein,   and  supersede  all  prior
agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto.

         6.6 WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS. This Agreement may be amended,  superseded,
canceled,  renewed or extended,  and the terms  hereof may be waived,  only by a
written  instrument signed by the parties hereto or, in the case of a waiver, by
the party  waiving  compliance.  No delay on the part of any party in exercising
any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof.

         6.7 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York,  without regard to principles
of conflicts of law.

         6.8 BINDING EFFECT; NO ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall be binding upon
and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors, assigns
and legal representatives.  This Agreement is not assignable except by operation
of law and any other purported assignment shall be null and void.

         6.9  VARIATIONS IN PRONOUNS.  All pronouns and any  variations  thereof
refer to the masculine,  feminine or neuter,  singular or plural, as the context
may require.

         6.10 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto
in separate counterparts,  each of which when so executed and delivered shall be
an original,  but all such  counterparts  shall together  constitute one and the
same instrument.  Each counterpart may consist of a number of copies hereof each
signed by less than all, but together signed by all of the parties hereto.

         6.11 EXHIBITS AND  SCHEDULES.  The Exhibits and Schedules are a part of
this Agreement as if fully set forth herein.  All references herein to Sections,
subsections,  clauses, Exhibits and Schedules shall be deemed references to such
parts of this Agreement, unless the context shall otherwise require.

                                       17
<PAGE>

         6.12 EFFECT OF  DISCLOSURE  ON  SCHEDULES.  Any item  disclosed  on any
Schedule  shall be deemed to be  disclosed in  connection  with (a) the specific
representation and warranty to which such Schedule is expressly referenced,  (b)
any specific  representation and warranty which expressly  cross-references such
Schedule  and (c) any  specific  representation  and warranty to which any other
Schedule  to this  Agreement  is  expressly  referenced  if such other  Schedule
expressly cross-references such Schedule.

         6.13 HEADINGS.  The headings in this agreement are for reference  only,
and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

         6.14 SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS. If any provision or any portion of any
provision of this Agreement or the  application of such provision or any portion
thereof to any Person or circumstance,  shall be held invalid or  unenforceable,
the remaining  portion of such  provision  and the remaining  provisions of this
Agreement,  or the application of such provision or portion of such provision as
is held invalid or unenforceable to persons or circumstances other than those as
to which it is held invalid or unenforceable, shall not be affect thereby.

         6.15 BROKERS.  Each party hereto represents and warrants that no broker
or finder is entitled to any brokerage or finder's fee or other  commission from
such party,  based on  agreements,  arrangements  or  undertakings  made by such
party, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

         6.16 CHANGE AND USE OF NAME. The Seller,  within ten (10) days from the
date hereof, shall deliver to the Buyer evidence that it has changed its assumed
name "Shoe  Biz",  in those  jurisdictions  in which the Seller is  licensed  or
qualified  to do  business  and,  thereafter  shall  refrain  from  directly  or
indirectly  using any name or names,  corporate  or  otherwise,  which  could be
confusingly  similar to the name,  "Shoe Biz".  Seller  covenants  that it shall
cause its affiliate Shoe Biz, Inc., a New York  corporation,  to change its name
within ten days from the date hereof.

                                       18
<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first above written.

                                          DANIEL SCOTT, INC.


                                          By: /s/ ROBERT SCHMERTZ
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:   Robert Schmertz
                                          Title:  President


                                          STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.


                                          By: /s/ STEVEN MADDEN
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:   Steven Madden
                                          Title:  Chief Executive Officer


                                          STEVEN MADDEN OUTLETS, INC.


                                          By: /s/ STEVEN MADDEN
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:   Steven Madden
                                          Title:  Chief Executive Officer

                                             /s/ ROBERT SCHMERTZ
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                 Robert Schmertz


                                       19



                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.01


                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS



         We  consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in the  Registration
Statement  on Form S-3 of our report  dated  February  6, 1998 on the  financial
statements  of Steven  Madden,  Ltd.  included in the 1997 Annual Report on Form
10-KSB. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts"
in the prospectus.


Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP



New York, New York
July 15, 1998



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