As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 14, 2002,
Registration No. -_________

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

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

                                    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 of        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   Incorporation or 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)

                                 Jamieson Karson
                    Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                               Steven Madden, Ltd.
                              52-16 Barnett Avenue
                           Long Island City, NY 11104
                                 (718) 446-1800
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           (Name, Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
                   including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

                                   Copies to:
                              Dennis J. Block, Esq.
                          Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
                                 100 Maiden Lane
                            New York, New York 10038
                                 (212) 504-6000

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

                                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


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

    Title of securities                          Proposed maximum      Proposed maximum
    registration to be        Amount to be      offering price per    aggregate offering
        registered           registered(1)           Share(2)              price(2)          Amount of fee(2)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    
Common Stock............        680,000               $16.27             $11,063,600            $1,017.85
==============================================================================================================


(1)  Plus such indeterminate number of shares pursuant to Rule 416 as may be
     issued in respect of stock dividends, recapitalizations, stock splits,
     reorganizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations or exchanges of
     shares and similar transactions.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
     proposed maximum aggregate offering price and the registration fee are
     based upon the average of the high and low prices per share of the
     Registrant's Common Stock reported on August 7, 2002.

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

STATEMENT PURSUANT TO GENERAL INSTRUCTION E TO FORM S-8 Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement is filed by Steven Madden, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), to register an additional 680,000 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the "Common Stock"), as to which options may be granted under the Company's 1999 Stock Plan (the "1999 Plan"). On September 10, 1999, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-86903) (the "1999 Registration Statement") in order to register 400,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the 1999 Plan. On May 12, 2000, the Company's stockholders approved an amendment to the 1999 Plan to increase the number of shares as to which options or awards may be granted from 400,000 to 975,000 shares. On July 6, 2000, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-40924) (the "2000 Registration Statement") in order to register the additional 575,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the 1999 Plan. On July 10, 2001, the Company's stockholders approved an amendment to the 1999 Plan to increase the number of shares as to which options or awards may be granted from 975,000 to 1,600,000 shares. On August 30, 2001, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-68712) (the "2001 Registration Statement, and together with the 2000 Registration Statement and the 1999 Registration Statement, the "Earlier Registration Statements") in order to register the additional 625,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the 1999 Plan. On May 17, 2002, the Company's stockholders approved a further amendment to the 1999 Plan to increase the number of shares as to which options or awards may be granted from 1,600,000 to 2,280,000 shares. This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed to register the additional 680,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the 1999 Plan. Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the Earlier Registration Statements, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, are hereby incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. 2

PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS The documents containing information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to employees eligible to participate in the 1999 Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act. Those documents and the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act. 3

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 (the "Commission") by the Company are incorporated herein by reference: (1) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2002. (2) Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A dated April 19, 2002, as amended on May 1, 2002. (3) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001. (4) The description of the Common Stock contained in the Company registration statement filed under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the effective date of this 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 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers. Reference is made to Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law which provides for indemnification of directors and officers in certain circumstances. Article Ten of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation states as follows: The Company 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 the heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person. The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation is filed as Exhibit 1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 23, 1998. For the undertaking with respect to indemnification, see Item 9. 4

Item 8. Exhibits Exhibit No. Description ----------- ----------- 4(a)(1) Certificate of Incorporation of the registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 11, 1998) 4(a)(2) Rights Agreement between the Company and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on November 16, 2001) 4(b) Amended and Restated By-laws of the registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.02 to the Report on Form 10-K filed on March 29, 2002) 5 Opinion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. 10(a) 1999 Stock Plan, as amended. 23(a) Consent of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft (included in Exhibit 5). 23(b) Consent of Eisner LLP. Item 9. Undertakings The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: (a) 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; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this 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 this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement; (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement; provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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 will be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (c) 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. 5

(d) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (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 this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (e) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions referred to in Item 6 of this Registration Statement, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. 6

SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of 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 August 14, 2002. 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 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Signature Title Date --------- ----- ---- /s/ CHARLES KOPPELMAN Executive Chairman of the Board August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Charles Koppelman /s/ JAMIESON KARSON Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Jamieson Karson /s/ ARVIND DHARIA Chief Financial and Chief Accounting August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Officer and Director Arvind Dharia /s/ GERALD MONGELUZO President - Adesso-Madden, Inc. and Director August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Gerald Mongeluzo /s/ JOHN L. MADDEN Director August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- John L. Madden /s/ MARC S. COOPER Director August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Marc S. Cooper /s/ PETER MIGLIORINI Director August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Peter Migliorini /s/ HEYWOOD WILANSKY Director August 14, 2002 - ----------------------- Heywood Wilansky 7

EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit No. Description ----------- ----------- 4(a)(1) Certificate of Incorporation of the registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 11, 1998) 4(a)(2) Rights Agreement between the Company and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on November 16, 2001) 4(b) Amended and Restated By-laws of the registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.02 to the Report on Form 10-K filed on March 29, 2002) 5 Opinion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. 10(a) 1999 Stock Plan, as amended. 23(a) Consent of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft (included in Exhibit 5). 23(b) Consent of Eisner LLP. 8

                                                                       Exhibit 5

                                   CADWALADER
                          -----------------------------
                          Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

100 Maiden Lane                                                       New York
New York, NY 10038                                                    Washington
Tel: 212 504-6000                                                     Charlotte
Fax: 212 504-6666                                                     London






           August 14, 2002





           Steven Madden, Ltd.
           52-16 Barnett Avenue
           Long Island City, New York 11104

           Re:   Steven Madden, Ltd.
                 -------------------
                 Registration Statement on Form S-8
                 ----------------------------------

           Ladies and Gentlemen:

           We have acted as counsel to Steven Madden, Ltd., a Delaware
           corporation (the "Company") in connection with the preparation and
           filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission
           (the "Commission") of the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
           "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
           amended (the "Securities Act"). An aggregate of 1,600,000 shares of
           the Company's common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the "Common
           Stock"), to be issued under the Company's 1999 Stock Plan (the "Stock
           Plan"), were registered on September 10, 1999, July 6, 2000 and
           August 30, 2001 pursuant to Registration Statements on Form S-8 (File
           Nos. 333-86903, 333-40924 and 333-68712, respectively). This opinion
           relates to an additional 680,000 shares of Common Stock (the
           "Shares") to be issued under the Stock Plan being registered pursuant
           to the Registration Statement.

           In rendering the opinion set forth below, we have examined and relied
           upon the originals, copies or specimens, certified or otherwise
           identified to our satisfaction, of (a) the Registration Statement,
           (b) the Stock Plan and (c) such certificates, corporate and public
           records, agreements and instruments and other documents as we have
           deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below. In
           such examination we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures,
           the authenticity of all documents, agreements and instruments

submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents, agreements and instruments of all documents, agreements and instruments submitted to us as copies or specimens, the authenticity of the originals of such documents, agreements and instruments submitted to us as copies or specimens, the conformity of the text of each document filed with the Commission through the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System to the printed document reviewed by us, and the accuracy of the matters set forth in the documents, agreements and instruments we reviewed. As to any facts material to such opinion that were not known to us, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company. Except as expressly set forth herein, we have not undertaken any independent investigation (including, without limitation, conducting any review, search or investigation of any public files, records or dockets) to determine the existence or absence of the facts that are material to our opinion, and no inference as to our knowledge concerning such facts should be drawn from our reliance on the representations of the Company in connection with the preparation and delivery of this letter. As used herein, "to our knowledge", "known to us" or words of similar import mean the actual knowledge, without independent investigation, of any lawyer in our firm actively involved in the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement. We express no opinion concerning the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing). We are not licensed to practice law in the State of Delaware. Except as described, we have neither examined nor do we express any opinion with respect to Delaware law. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to the Stock Plan and paid for in accordance with the Stock Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, without admitting that we are "experts" within the meaning of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder with respect to any part of the Registration Statement, including this exhibit. Very truly yours, /s/ Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

                                  Exhibit 10(a)
                                  -------------


                                 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, MARCH 30, 2001 AND APRIL 8, 2002

         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

STEVEN MADDEN, LTD. AMENDMENT NO. 3 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 2,280,000 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 as of the 8th day of April, 2002 Approved by the Stockholders this 17th day of May, 2002 A-14


INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on
Form S-8 of our report dated February 22, 2002 (with respect to Notes J[1] and
J[2], March 4, 2002) on our audit of the consolidated financial statements of
Steven Madden, Ltd. and subsidiaries included in its annual report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2001.



/s/ Eisner LLP

New York, New York
August 12, 2002