AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JULY 6, 2000,
                                                     REGISTRATION NO. -_________

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

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, D.C.

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

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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

                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

        DELAWARE                                        13-3588231
- ----------------------------               ------------------------------------
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION               (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
OF ORGANIZATION)

                52-16 BARNETT AVENUE, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11104
               ---------------------------------------------------
               (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)

                                 1999 STOCK PLAN
                            ------------------------
                            (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                                  STEVEN MADDEN
                             CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.
                              52-16 BARNETT AVENUE
                           LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11104
                     ---------------------------------------
                     (NAME AND ADDRESS OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

                                 (718) 446-1800
                     ---------------------------------------
                     (TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                              OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

                                                             CONTINUED OVERLEAF

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title of Amount Proposed maximum Proposed maximum Amount of securities to be offering price aggregate registration to be registered registered(1) per share offering price fee - ---------------- ------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------ Common Stock 575,000(2) $ 7.0625(3) $4,060,937.50 $1,072.69 Total $1,072.69 - ----------- (1) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), this registration statement also covers an indeterminate number of shares as may be required by reason of any stock dividend, recapitalization, stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of shares or other similar change affecting the stock. (2) Includes 575,000 shares of Common Stock reserved under the 1999 Stock Plan, as amended. (3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee based upon the closing price of the shares of Common Stock on July 3, 2000 of $ 7.0625 reported on The Nasdaq National Market.

PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS ITEM 1. Plan Information ITEM 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM 3. Incorporation of Documents By Reference The following documents, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Steven Madden, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), are incorporated herein by reference: (1) Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 28, 2000. (2) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2000. (3) Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A dated April 12, 2000. (4) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 1999. (5) The description of the Common Stock, par value $.0001 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Corporation contained in the Corporation 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 Corporation pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement 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 the Registration Statement 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 registration statement 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 registration statement. 1

ITEM 4. Description of Securities. Not Applicable. ITEM 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel Not Applicable. ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL") provides that a corporation may indemnify its directors and officers, as well as other employees and individuals, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with specified actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation -- a "derivative action"), if they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification only extends to expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such actions, and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification in which the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation's charter, bylaws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise. Article Tenth of the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation states as follows: The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same may be amended and supplemented, indemnify any and all persons whom it shall have power to indemnify under said section from and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities, or other matters referred to in or covered by said section, and the indemnification provided for herein shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of their heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person. ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED Not Applicable. 2

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS The following is a complete list of exhibits filed as a part of this registration statement: EXHIBIT NO. DOCUMENT 5.1 Opinion of Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP. 10.1 1999 Stock Plan, as amended. 23.1 Consent of Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1). 23.2 Consent of Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP. ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS A. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement; (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the information is required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement; (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof; and; (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. 3

B. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof. C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in item 6, 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, 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. 4

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-8 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 30th day of June, 2000. STEVEN MADDEN, LTD. By: /s/ STEVEN MADDEN -------------------------------- Steven Madden 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/ CHARLES KOPPELMAN Chairman of the Board June 30, 2000 - ------------------------ Charles Koppelman /s/ STEVEN MADDEN Chief Executive Officer June 30, 2000 - ------------------------- Steven Madden /s/ RHONDA BROWN President and Chief Operating June 30, 2000 - ------------------------- Officer and Director Rhonda Brown /s/ ARVIND DHARIA Chief Financial and Chief June 30, 2000 - ------------------------ Accounting Officer and Director Arvind Dharia /s/ JOHN BASILE Executive Vice President June 30, 2000 - ------------------------ and Director John Basile /s/ LES WAGNER Vice President - Steven Madden June 30, 2000 - ------------------------ Retail, Inc. and Director Les Wagner /s/ JOHN L. MADDEN Director June 30, 2000 - ------------------------ John L. Madden /s/ PETER MIGLIORINI Director June 30, 2000 - ------------------------ Peter Migliorini 5

STEVEN MADDEN, LTD EXHIBITS TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8 6

INDEX TO EXHIBITS EXHIBIT NO. DOCUMENT 5.1 Opinion of Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP. 10.1 1999 Stock Plan, as amended. 23.1 Consent of Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1). 23.2 Consent of Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP. 7


                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                   OPINION OF BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP

                 [LETTERHEAD OF BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP]

                                  July 5, 2000

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 Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with a Registration Statement on Form
S-8 ("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 an aggregate of 575,000 shares
(the "Shares") of the Company's Common Stock, $.0001 par value ("Common Stock"),
all of which are issuable under the Company's 1999 Stock Plan, as amended (the
"Stock Plan").

         In that connection, we have examined the Certificate of Incorporation
and the By-Laws of the Company, the Registration Statement, the Stock Plan, 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 photostatic 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 and validly authorized and, when issued and paid for as
described in the Stock Plan or stock option agreements issued pursuant to the
Stock Plan, as the case may be, will be duly and validly issued, 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,



                                      BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.3

                               THE 1999 STOCK PLAN

        APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON MARCH 15, 1999
                        AND AMENDED AS OF MARCH 20, 2000

                  SECTION 1.  PURPOSE. The purpose of the Steven Madden, Ltd.
1999 Stock Plan (the "Plan") is to provide a means whereby directors and
selected employees, officers, agents, consultants, and independent contractors
of Steven Madden, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), or of any parent
or subsidiary (as defined in subsection 5.7 hereof and referred to hereinafter
as "Affiliates") thereof, may be granted incentive stock options and/or
nonqualified stock options to purchase shares of common stock, $.0001 par value
("Common Stock") in order to attract and retain the services or advice of such
directors, employees, officers, agents, consultants, and independent contractors
and to provide additional incentive for such persons to exert maximum efforts
for the success of the Company and its Affiliates by encouraging stock ownership
in the Company.

                  SECTION 2.  ADMINISTRATION. Subject to Section 2.3 hereof, the
Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (the
"Board") or, in the event the Board shall appoint and/or authorize a committee
of two or more members of the Board to administer the Plan, by such committee.
The administrator of the Plan shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Plan
Administrator".

                  The foregoing notwithstanding, with respect to grants to be
made to directors: (a) the Plan Administrator shall be constituted so as to meet
the requirements of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 16b-3 thereunder,
each as amended from time to time, or (b) if the Plan Administrator cannot be so
constituted, no options shall be granted under the Plan to any directors.

                        2.1   PROCEDURES. The Board shall designate one of the
members of the Plan Administrator as chairman. The Plan Administrator may hold
meetings at such times and places as it shall determine. The acts of a majority
of the members of the Plan Administrator present at meetings at which a quorum
exists, or acts approved in writing by all Plan Administrator members, shall be
valid acts of the Plan Administrator.

                        2.2   RESPONSIBILITIES. Except for the terms and
conditions explicitly set forth herein, the Plan Administrator shall have the
authority, in its discretion, to determine all matters relating to the options
to be granted under the Plan, including, without limitation, selection of
whether an option will be an incentive stock option or a nonqualified stock
option, selection of the individuals to be granted options, the number of shares
to be subject to each option, the exercise price per share, the timing of grants
and all other terms and conditions of the options. Grants under the Plan need
not be identical in any respect, even when made simultaneously. The Plan
Administrator may also establish, amend, and revoke rules and regulations for
the administration of the Plan. The interpretation and construction by the Plan
Administrator of any terms or provisions of the Plan or any option issued
hereunder, or of any rule or regulation promulgated in connection herewith,
shall be conclusive and binding on all interested parties, so long as such

                                      A-1

interpretation and construction with respect to incentive stock options corresponds to the requirements of Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Section 422, the regulations thereunder, and any amendments thereto. The Plan Administrator shall not be personally liable for any action made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any option granted thereunder. 2.3 RULE 16B-3 AND SECTION 16(B) COMPLIANCE; BIFURCATION OF PLAN. It is the intention of the Company that the Plan comply in all respects with Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") to the extent applicable, and in all events the Plan shall be construed in favor of its meeting the requirements of Rule 16b-3. If any Plan provision is later found not to be in compliance with such Rule, such provision shall be deemed null and void. The Board of Directors may act under the Plan only if all members thereof are "disinterested persons" as defined in Rule 16b-3 and further described in Section 4 hereof; and no director or officer or other Company "insider" subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act may sell shares received upon the exercise of an option during the six month period immediately following the grant of the option without complying with the terms of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Board, in its absolute discretion, may bifurcate the Plan so as to restrict, limit, or condition the use of any provision of the Plan to participants who are officers and directors or other persons subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act without so restricting, limiting, or conditioning the Plan with respect to other participants. SECTION 3. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN. The stock subject to this Plan shall be the Common Stock, presently authorized but unissued or subsequently acquired by the Company. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 hereof, the aggregate amount of Common Stock to be delivered upon the exercise of all options granted under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate 400,000 shares as such Common Stock was constituted on the effective date of the Plan. If any option granted under the Plan shall expire, be surrendered, exchanged for another option, canceled, or terminated for any reason without having been exercised in full, the unpurchased shares subject thereto shall thereupon again be available for purposes of the Plan, including for replacement options which may be granted in exchange for such surrendered, canceled, or terminated options. SECTION 4. ELIGIBILITY. An incentive stock option may be granted only to any individual who, at the time the option is granted, is a director, employee, officer, agent, consultant, or independent contractor of the Company or any Affiliate thereof. A nonqualified stock option may be granted to any director, employee, officer, agent, consultant, or independent contractor of the Company or any Affiliate thereof, whether an individual or an entity. Any party to whom an option is granted under the Plan shall be referred to hereinafter as an "Optionee". A director shall in no event be eligible for the benefits of the Plan unless at the time discretion is exercised in the selection of a director as a person to whom options may be granted, or in the determination of the number of shares which may be covered by options granted to the director, the Plan complies with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. A-2

SECTION 5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS. Options granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by written agreements which shall contain such terms, conditions, limitations, and restrictions as the Plan Administrator shall deem advisable and which are not inconsistent with the Plan. 5.2 TERM AND MATURITY. Subject to the restrictions contained in Section 6 hereof with respect to granting stock options to greater than ten percent stockholders, the term of each stock option shall be as established by the Plan Administrator and, if not so established, shall be ten years from the date of its grant, but in no event shall the term of any incentive stock option exceed a ten year period. 5.3 EXERCISE. Each option may be exercised in whole or in part; provided, that only whole shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of any option. Subject to any other terms and conditions herein, the Plan Administrator may provide that an option may not be exercised in whole or in part for a stated period or periods of time during which such option is outstanding; provided, that the Plan Administrator may rescind, modify, or waive any such limitation (including by the acceleration of the vesting schedule upon a change in control of the Company) at any time and from time to time after the grant date thereof. During an Optionee's lifetime, any incentive stock options granted under the Plan are personal to such Optionee and are exercisable solely by such Optionee. Options shall be exercised by delivery to the Company of notice of the number of shares with respect to which the option is exercised, together with payment of the exercise price in accordance with Section 5.4 hereof. 5.4 PAYMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE. Except as set forth below, payment of the option exercise price shall be made in full at the time the notice of exercise of the option is delivered to the Company and shall be in cash, bank certified or cashier's check, or personal check (unless at the time of exercise the Plan Administrator in a particular case determines not to accept a personal check) for shares of Common Stock being purchased. The Plan Administrator can determine at the time the option is granted in the case of incentive stock options, or at any time before exercise in the case of nonqualified stock options, that additional forms of payment will be permitted. To the extent permitted by the Plan Administrator and applicable laws and regulations (including, without limitation, federal tax and securities laws and regulations and state corporate law), an option may be exercised by: (a) delivery of shares of Common Stock of the Company held by an Optionee having a fair market value equal to the exercise price, such fair market value to be determined in good faith by the Plan Administrator; (b) delivery of a properly executed Notice of Exercise, together with irrevocable instructions to a broker, all in accordance with the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, to promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds to pay the exercise price and any federal, state, or local withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the exercise; or A-3

(c) delivery of a properly executed Notice of Exercise, together with instructions to the Company to withhold from the shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be issued upon exercise that number of shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal to the option exercise price. 5.5 WITHHOLDING TAX REQUIREMENT. The Company or any Affiliate thereof shall have the right to retain and withhold from any payment of cash or Common Stock under the Plan the amount of taxes required by any government to be withheld or otherwise deducted and paid with respect to such payment. No option may be exercised unless and until arrangements satisfactory to the Company, in its sole discretion, to pay such withholding taxes are made. At its discretion, the Company may require an Optionee to reimburse the Company for any such taxes required to be withheld by the Company and withhold any distribution in whole or in part until the Company is so reimbursed. In lieu thereof, the Company shall have the right to withhold from any other cash amounts due or to become due from the Company to the Optionee an amount equal to such taxes or retain and withhold a number of shares having a market value not less than the amount of such taxes required to be withheld by the Company to reimburse the Company for any such taxes and cancel (in whole or in part) any such shares of Common Stock so withheld. If required by Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, the election to pay withholding taxes by delivery of shares of Common Stock held by any person who at the time of exercise is subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act shall be made either six months prior to the date the option exercise becomes taxable or at such other times as the Company may determine as necessary to comply with Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Although the Company may, in its discretion, accept Common Stock as payment of withholding taxes, the Company shall not be obligated to do so. 5.6 NONTRANSFERABILITY. 5.6.1 OPTION. Options granted under the Plan and the rights and privileges conferred hereby may not be transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated in any manner (whether by operation of law or otherwise) other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined in Section 414(p) of the Code, or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules thereunder, and shall not be subject to execution, attachment, or similar process. Any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate, or otherwise dispose of any option under the Plan or of any right or privilege conferred hereby, contrary to the Code or to the provisions of the Plan, or the sale or levy or any attachment or similar process upon the rights and privileges conferred hereby shall be null and void ab initio. The designation by an Optionee of a beneficiary does not, in and of itself, constitute an impermissible transfer under this subsection 5.6.1. 5.6.2 STOCK. The Plan Administrator may provide in the agreement granting the option that (a) the Optionee may not transfer or otherwise dispose of shares acquired upon exercise of an option without first A-4

offering such shares to the Company for purchase on the same terms and conditions as those offered to the proposed transferee or (b) upon termination of employment of an Optionee, the Company shall have a six month right of repurchase as to the shares acquired upon exercise, which right of repurchase shall allow for a maximum purchase price equal to the fair market value of the shares on the termination date. The foregoing rights of the Company shall be assignable by the Company upon reasonable written notice to the Optionee. 5.7 TERMINATION OF RELATIONSHIP. If the Optionee's relationship with the Company or any Affiliate thereof ceases for any reason other than termination for cause, death, or total disability, and unless by its terms the option sooner terminates or expires, then the Optionee may exercise, for a three month period, that portion of the Optionee's option which is exercisable at the time of such cessation, but the Optionee's option shall terminate at the end of the three month period following such cessation as to all shares for which it has not theretofore been exercised, unless, in the case of a nonqualified stock option, such provision is waived in the agreement evidencing the option or by resolution adopted by the Plan Administrator within 90 days of such cessation. If, in the case of an incentive stock option, an Optionee's relationship with the Company or Affiliate thereof changes from employee to nonemployee (i.e., from employee to a position such as a consultant), such change shall constitute a termination of an Optionee's employment with the Company or Affiliate and the Optionee's incentive stock option shall terminate in accordance with this subsection 5.7. If an Optionee is terminated for cause, any option granted hereunder shall automatically terminate as of the first discovery by the Company of any reason for termination for cause, and such Optionee shall thereupon have no right to purchase any shares pursuant to such option. "Termination for cause" shall mean dismissal for dishonesty, conviction or confession of a crime punishable by law (except minor violations), fraud, misconduct, or disclosure of confidential information. If an Optionee's relationship with the Company or any Affiliate thereof is suspended pending an investigation of whether or not the Optionee shall be terminated for cause, all Optionee's rights under any option granted hereunder likewise shall be suspended during the period of investigation. If an Optionee's relationship with the Company or any Affiliate thereof ceases because of a total disability, the Optionee's option shall not terminate or, in the case of an incentive stock option, cease to be treated as an incentive stock option until the end of the 12 month period following such cessation (unless by its terms it sooner terminates and expires). As used in the Plan, the term "total disability" refers to a mental or physical impairment of the Optionee which is expected to result in death or which has lasted or is, in the opinion of the Company and two independent physicians, expected to last for a continuous period of 12 months or more and which causes or is, in such opinion, expected to cause the Optionee to be unable to perform his or her duties for the Company and to be engaged in any substantial gainful activity. Total disability shall be deemed to have occurred on the first day after the Company and the two independent physicians have furnished their opinion of total disability to the Plan Administrator. A-5

For purposes of this subsection 5.7, a transfer of relationship between or among the Company and/or any Affiliate thereof shall not be deemed to constitute a cessation of relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates. For purposes of this subsection 5.7, with respect to incentive stock options, employment shall be deemed to continue while the Optionee is on military leave, sick leave, or other bona fide leave of absence (as determined by the Plan Administrator). The foregoing notwithstanding, employment shall not be deemed to continue beyond the first 90 days of such leave, unless the Optionee's reemployment rights are guaranteed by statute or by contract. As used herein, the term "Affiliate" shall be defined as follows: (a) when referring to a subsidiary corporation, "Affiliate" shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the granting of the option, the stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of each of the corporations other than the Company is owned by one of the other corporations in such chain; and (b) when referring to a parent corporation, "Affiliate" shall mean any corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the granting of the option, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. 5.8 DEATH OF OPTIONEE. If an Optionee dies while he or she has a relationship with the Company or any Affiliate thereof or within the three month period (or 12 month period in the case of totally disabled Optionees) following cessation of such relationship, any option held by such Optionee, to the extent that the Optionee would have been entitled to exercise such option, may be exercised within one year after his or her death by the personal representative of his or her estate or by the person or persons to whom the Optionee's rights under the option shall pass by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution. 5.9 STATUS OF STOCKHOLDER. Neither the Optionee nor any party to which the Optionee's rights and privileges under the option may pass shall be, or have any of the rights or privileges of, a stockholder of the Company with respect to any of the shares issuable upon the exercise of any option granted under the Plan unless and until such option has been exercised. 5.10 CONTINUATION OF EMPLOYMENT. Nothing in the Plan or in any option granted pursuant to the Plan shall confer upon any Optionee any right to continue in the employ of the Company or of an Affiliate thereof, or to interfere in any way with the right of the Company or of any such Affiliate to terminate his or her employment or other relationship with the Company at any time. 5.11 MODIFICATION AND AMENDMENT OF OPTION. Subject to the requirements of Section 422 of the Code with respect to incentive stock options and to the terms and conditions and within the limitations of the Plan, including, without limitation, Section 9.1 hereof, the Plan Administrator may modify or amend outstanding options granted under the Plan. The modification A-6

or amendment of an outstanding option shall not, without the consent of the Optionee, impair or diminish any of his or her rights or any of the obligations of the Company under such option. Except as otherwise provided herein, no outstanding option shall be terminated without the consent of the Optionee. Unless the Optionee agrees otherwise, any changes or adjustments made to outstanding incentive stock options granted under the Plan shall be made in such a manner so as not to constitute a "modification" as defined in Section 424(h) of the Code and so as not to cause any incentive stock option issued hereunder to fail to continue to qualify as an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422(b) of the Code. 5.12 LIMITATION ON VALUE FOR INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. As to all incentive stock options granted under the terms of the Plan, to the extent that the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time of the grant of the incentive stock option) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by the Optionee during any calendar year (under the Plan and all other incentive stock option plans of the Company, an Affiliate thereof or a predecessor corporation) exceeds $100,000, such options shall be treated as nonqualified stock options. The foregoing sentence shall not apply, and the limitation shall be that provided by the Code or the Internal Revenue Service, as the case may be, if such annual limit is changed or eliminated by (a) amendment of the Code or (b) issuance by the Internal Revenue Service of (i) a Revenue ruling, (ii) a Private Letter ruling to any of the Company, any Optionee, or any legatee, personal representative, or distributee of any Optionee, or (iii) regulations. 5.13 VALUATION OF COMMON STOCK RECEIVED UPON EXERCISE. 5.13.1 EXERCISE OF OPTIONS UNDER SECTIONS 5.4(A) AND (C). The value of Common Stock received by the Optionee from an exercise under Sections 5.4(a) and 5.4(c) hereof shall be the fair market value as determined by the Plan Administrator, provided, that if the Common Stock is traded in a public market, such valuation shall be the average of the high and low trading prices or bid and asked prices, as applicable, of the Common Stock for the date of receipt by the Company of the Optionee's delivery of shares under Section 5.4(a) hereof or delivery of the Notice of Exercise under Section 5.4(c) hereof, determined as of the trading day immediately preceding such date (or, if no sale of shares is reported for such trading day, on the next preceding day on which any sale shall have been reported). 5.13.2 EXERCISE OF OPTION UNDER SECTION 5.4(B). The value of Common Stock received by the Optionee from an exercise under Section 5.4(b) hereof shall equal the sales price received for such shares. SECTION 6. GREATER THAN TEN PERCENT STOCKHOLDERS. 6.1 EXERCISE PRICE AND TERM OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. If incentive stock options are granted under the Plan to employees who, at the time of such grant, own greater than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate thereof, the term A-7

of such incentive stock options shall not exceed five years and the exercise price shall be not less than 110% of the fair market value of the Common Stock at the time of grant of the incentive stock option. This provision shall control notwithstanding any contrary terms contained in an option agreement or any other document. The term and exercise price limitations of this provision shall be amended to conform to any change required by a change in the Code or by ruling or pronouncement of the Internal Revenue Service. 6.2 ATTRIBUTION RULE. For purposes of subsection 6.1, in determining stock ownership, an employee shall be deemed to own the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for his or her brothers, sisters, spouse, ancestors, and lineal descendants. Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a corporation, partnership estate, or trust shall be deemed to be owned proportionately by or for its stockholders, partners, or beneficiaries. If an employee or a person related to the employee owns an unexercised option or warrant to purchase stock of the Company, the stock subject to that portion of the option or warrant which is unexercised shall not be counted in determining stock ownership. For purposes of this Section 6, stock owned by an employee shall include all stock owned by him or her which is actually issued and outstanding immediately before the grant of the incentive stock option to the employee. SECTION 7. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION. The aggregate number and class of shares for which options may be granted under the Plan, the number and class of shares covered by each outstanding option, and the exercise price per share thereof (but not the total price), and each such option, shall all be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock of the Company resulting from a split or consolidation of shares or any like capital adjustment, or the payment of any stock dividend. 7.1. EFFECT OF LIQUIDATION, REORGANIZATION, OR CHANGE IN CONTROL. 7.1.1 CASH, STOCK, OR OTHER PROPERTY FOR STOCK. Except as provided in subsection 7.1.2 hereof, upon a merger (other than a merger of the Company in which the holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of common stock in the surviving corporation immediately after the merger), consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization (other than mere reincorporation or creation of a holding company), or liquidation of the Company (each, an "event"), as a result of which the stockholders of the Company receive cash, stock, or other property in exchange for, or in connection with, their shares of Common Stock, any option granted hereunder shall terminate, but the time during which such options may be exercised shall be accelerated as follows: the Optionee shall have the right immediately prior to any such event to exercise such Optionee's option in whole or in part whether or not the vesting requirements set forth in the option agreement have been satisfied. 7.1.2 CONVERSION OF OPTIONS ON STOCK FOR EXCHANGE STOCK. If the stockholders of the Company receive capital stock of another A-8

corporation ("Exchange Stock") in exchange for their shares of Common Stock in any transaction involving a merger (other than a merger of the Company in which the holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of common stock in the surviving corporation immediately after the merger), consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, or reorganization (other than mere reincorporation or creation of a holding company), all options granted hereunder shall be converted into options to purchase shares of Exchange Stock unless the Company and corporation issuing the Exchange Stock, in their sole discretion, determine that any or all such options granted hereunder shall not be converted into options to purchase shares of Exchange Stock but instead shall terminate in accordance with the provisions of subsection 7.1.1 hereof. The amount and price of converted options shall be determined by adjusting the amount and price of the options granted hereunder in the same proportion as used for determining the number of shares of Exchange Stock the holders of the Common Stock receive in such merger, consolidation, acquisition, separation, or reorganization. Unless the Board determines otherwise, the converted options shall be fully vested whether or not the vesting requirements set forth in the option agreement have been satisfied. 7.2 FRACTIONAL SHARES. In the event of any adjustment in the number of shares covered by an option, any fractional shares resulting from such adjustment shall be disregarded and each such option shall cover only the number of full shares resulting from such adjustment. 7.3 DETERMINATION OF BOARD TO BE FINAL. Except as otherwise required for the Plan to qualify for the exemption afforded by Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, all adjustments under this Section 7 shall be made by the Board, and its determination as to what adjustments shall be made, and the extent thereof, shall be final, binding, and conclusive. Unless an Optionee agrees otherwise, any change or adjustment to an incentive stock option shall be made in such a manner so as not to constitute a "modification" as defined in Section 424(h) of the Code and so as not to cause the incentive stock option issued hereunder to fail to continue to qualify as an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422(b) of the Code. SECTION 8. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option granted under the Plan unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, any applicable state securities laws, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance, including, without limitation, the availability of an exemption from registration for the issuance and sale of any shares hereunder. Inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, the authority deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of any shares hereunder or the unavailability of an exemption from registration for the issuance and sale of any shares hereunder shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the nonissuance or sale of such shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. A-9

As a condition to the exercise of an option, if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, assurances are required by any relevant provision of the aforementioned laws, the Company may require the Optionee to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company at the time of any such exercise (a) as to the Optionee's knowledge and experience in financial and business matters (and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters) and that such Optionee is capable of evaluating, either alone or with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising the option or (b) that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares. The foregoing requirements shall be inoperative if the issuance of the shares upon the exercise of the option has been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Act. At the option of the Company, a stop-transfer order against any shares may be placed on the official stock books and records of the Company, and a legend indicating that the stock may not be pledged, sold, or otherwise transferred unless an opinion of counsel is provided (concurred in by counsel for the Company) stating that such transfer is not in violation of any applicable law or regulation, may be stamped on stock certificates in order to assure exemption from registration. The Plan Administrator may also require such other action or agreement by the Optionees as may from time to time be necessary to comply with the federal and state securities laws. NONE OF THE ABOVE SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO IMPLY AN OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF THE COMPANY TO UNDERTAKE REGISTRATION OF THE OPTIONS OR STOCK HEREUNDER. Should any of the Company's capital stock of the same class as the stock subject to options granted hereunder be listed on a national securities exchange or on the Nasdaq National Market, all stock issued hereunder if not previously listed on such exchange or market shall, if required by the rules of such exchange or market, be authorized by that exchange or market for listing thereon prior to the issuance thereof. SECTION 9. USE OF PROCEEDS. The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of shares pursuant to the exercise of options granted hereunder shall constitute general funds of the Company. SECTION 10. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. 10.1 BOARD ACTION. The Board may at any time suspend, amend, or terminate the Plan, provided, that no amendment shall be made without stockholder approval within 12 months before or after adoption of the Plan if such approval is necessary to comply with any applicable tax or regulatory requirement, including any such approval as may be necessary to satisfy the requirements for exemptive relief under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor provision. Rights and obligations under any option granted before amendment of the Plan shall not be altered or impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless the Company requests the consent of the person to whom the option was granted and such person consents in writing thereto. A-10

10.2 AUTOMATIC TERMINATION. Unless sooner terminated by the Board, the Plan shall terminate ten years from the earlier of (a) the date on which the Plan is adopted by the Board or (b) the date on which the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company. No option may be granted after such termination or during any suspension of the Plan. The amendment or termination of the Plan shall not, without the consent of the option holder, alter or impair any rights or obligations under any option theretofore granted under the Plan. SECTION 11. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall become effective upon adoption by the Board so long as it is approved by the holders of a majority of the Company's shares of voting capital stock cast with respect to the proposal to adopt the Plan at any time within 12 months before or after the adoption of the Plan by the Board. A-11

STEVEN MADDEN, LTD. 1999 STOCK PLAN This Steven Madden, Ltd. 1999 Stock Plan (the "1999 Plan") is hereby amended as follows: 1. Section 3 of the 1999 Plan is amended to read as follows: SECTION 3. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN. The stock subject to this Plan shall be the Common Stock, presently authorized but unissued or subsequently acquired by the Company. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 hereof, the aggregate amount of Common Stock to be delivered upon the exercise of all options granted under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate 975,000 shares as such Common Stock was constituted on the effective date of the Plan. If any option granted under the Plan shall expire, be surrendered, exchanged for another option, canceled, or terminated for any reason without having been exercised in full, the unpurchased shares subject thereto shall thereupon again be available for purposes of the Plan, including for replacement options which may be granted in exchange for such surrendered, canceled, or terminated options. 2. Except as expressly amend, the provisions of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect. 3. This Amendment shall be effective immediately upon approval by the Company's Board of Directors and stockholders of the Company. Adopted by the Board of Directors this 20th day of March, 2000 Approved by the Stockholders this 12th day of May, 2000 A-12


                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2

                  CONSENT OF RICHARD A. EISNER & COMPANY, LLP.


                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on
Form S-8 of our report dated February 16, 2000 on our audit of the consolidated
financial statements of Steven Madden, Ltd. and subsidiaries included in the
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.

Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP


New York, New York
June 30, 2000