As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 30, 2001,
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 juris-                                        (I.R.S. Employer
diction of organization)                                     Identification No.)

                52-16 Barnett Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11104
                ------------------------------------------------
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                 1999 Stock Plan

                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 Jamieson Karson
                    Vice Chairman and 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 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposed Title of Amount Proposed maximum maximum aggregate Amount of securities to be offering price offering registration to be registered registered(1) per Share price fee - ---------------- ------------- ---------------- ----------------- ------------ Common Stock 625,000(2) $15.10(3) $9,437,500 $2,359.38 Total $2,359.38
- --------------- (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 625,000 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 August 28, 2001 of $15.10 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) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2001. (2) Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A dated June 12, 2001. (3) Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 24, 2001. (4) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2001. (5) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000. (6) 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. 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 Corporation'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 August, 2001. STEVEN MADDEN, LTD. By: /s/ JAMIESON KARSON --------------------------------- Jamieson Karson Vice Chairman 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/ CHARLES KOPPELMAN Executive Chairman of the Board August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Charles Koppelman /s/ JAMIESON KARSON Vice Chairman and August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Chief Executive Officer Jamieson Karson /s/ RHONDA BROWN President and Director August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Rhonda Brown /s/ ARVIND DHARIA Chief Financial and August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Chief Accounting Officer and Director Arvind Dharia /s/ GERALD MONGELUZO President - Adesso-Madden, Inc. August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- and Director Gerald Mongeluzo /s/ JOHN L. MADDEN Director August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- John L. Madden /s/ MARC S. COOPER Director August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Marc S. Cooper /s/ PETER MIGLIORINI Director August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Peter Migliorini /s/ HEYWOOD WILANSKY Director August 30, 2001 - ---------------------------------- Heywood Wilansky
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]



                                       August 30, 2001


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 625,000 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,


                                       /s/ BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP
                                       --------------------------------------
                                       BERLACK, ISRAELS & LIBERMAN LLP

                                  Exhibit 10.3
                                  ------------


                                 1999 STOCK PLAN


                               THE 1999 STOCK PLAN

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON MARCH 15, 1999 AND AMENDED AS
       OF MARCH 20, 2000 AND MARCH 30, 2001

         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

                                      A-1


on all interested parties, so long as such 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 or

                                      A-6


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 of
such incentive stock options shall not exceed five years and the exercise price

                                      A-7


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 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

                                      A-8


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.

         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

                                      A-9


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.

               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

                                      A-10


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.
                     AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE 1999 STOCK PLAN


         The 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


                               STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.
                     AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE 1999 STOCK PLAN


         The Steven Madden, Ltd. 1999 Stock Plan (the "1999 Plan") is hereby
amended as follows:

         1.  Section 3 of the 1999 Plan is amended by deleting Section 3 in its
entirety and replacing it with the following:

         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 1,600,000
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 amended hereby, the provisions of the Plan are
and 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 30th day of March, 2001



                                       Approved by the Stockholders
                                       this 10 day of July, 2001


                                      A-13

                                  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 14, 2001 (March 14, 2001 with respect to
Note J[3]) 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, 2000.



Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP


New York, New York
August 29, 2001