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Steve Madden South Africa exhibited its upcoming summer season assortment last night at a spectacular event in Cape Town.
The see-and-be-seen event, hosted at Ocular, housed at the Zeitz MOCAA Museum at the V&A Waterfront, was attended by South Africa’s fashion A-listers, influencers, socialites, and celebrities.
Guests were treated to a ‘walk in Central Park’ sunset fashion presentation, which featured Steve Madden’s recently unveiled SS22 Spring/Summer clothes collection, as well as next season’s footwear range.
In 2013, the famed USA-born Steve Madden brand entered the South African retail industry with its first African store in Fourways, Johannesburg. To date, the brand has 14 retail locations countrywide. However, the local team players are eyeing market share in Africa, and Steve Madden has expanded its footprint to include Namibia as part of their expansion strategy of exposure through major areas on the continent.
Speaking at the launch, country manager, Michelle de Fonseca said that the brand’s focus is on their online offering which delivers across Africa, as well as stand-alone stores in identified cities throughout leading markets in Africa. “Our vision is to continue our successful retail expansion with 20 stand-alone stores earmarked for the end of 2023,” she said.
Commenting on the season launch and fashion show, De Fonseca said; “Steve Madden is synonymous with have-to-have shoes and we are the most admired and sort-after footwear brand in SA. We’re trend-setters in the footwear, bags and accessories market, and we are now very excited to be branching out into men’s and ladies’ apparel too with the same edgy-ness/ Steve Madden signature of our shoes.”
The event began with a fashion presentation featuring the latest footwear and apparel, culminating in the debut and introduction of the Steve Madden Bonang Matheba Holiday Select Collection, a collaboration with South African powerhouse Bonang Matheba for this season. Tumelo Mmusi, the creator of the relationship, Steve Madden SA’s Marketing Manager, stated that the association is “history in the making.” This is the first time Steve Madden International has partnered with African talent, and the collaboration demonstrates Steve Madden’s commitment to the South African and African markets.
The Steve Madden Bonang Matheba Holiday Select Collection contains a range of go-to holiday styles selected by Bonang herself. “If ever you wanted to join forces with a brand, says Bonang, I think every person on the planet would select Steve Madden.”
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Speaking on the USA and South Africa partnership, New York based Ian Funk, President of International Sales who was in Cape Town for the event remarked, “Our team is captivated by South Africa and the opportunities that lie ahead. The collab with Bonang has excited us, and we look forward to building and creating magic together.”
Top brands that have partnered with Steve Madden for the launch include Lift Airlines, Home Suite Hotels, House of BNG, SoHo and Mac Cosmetics.