Shoe Superstars Steve Madden and Dolce Vita have Joined Forces

Without a doubt, two of the most fashion-forward and popular shoes brands are Steve Madden and Dolce Vita, and now the two have joined together. Steve Madden announced Thursday afternoon that it has bought Dolce Vita Holdings, the privately-held parent company of the footwear lines Dolce Vita, DV by Dolce Vita, DV8 and J.D. Fisk. Late last month, Steve Madden executives said the company was looking to acquire other companies, so clearly the shoe retailer did not wait long to make good on that promise.

It’s the Steve Madden company’s second acquisition in the last six months, as they purchased Brian Atwood from Jones Group in late March. It is still unclear how well Brian Atwood has fared under the Steve Madden company’s ownership, but Madden himself reportedly said that Atwood sales have suffered, due to the trend of declining mall traffic and a lack of new trends emerging in the past few months.

Van Lamprou and Nick Lucio, the Dolce Vita founders, will stay on through their company’s acquisition. Dolce Vita is a 13-year-old company that targets the same type of shopper as Steve Madden, making the two brands perfect companions. Shoes from Dolce Vita are a little more expensive, ranging from $189-360. DV by Dolce Vita retails for similar prices as Steve Madden ($80 to $130) while DV8 shoes start at $30.

Steve Madden started his business in 1990, “with a mere $1,100 in his bank account,” as stated on the company’s website. The brand was born in a Queen-based factory and has grown to become one of the most iconic, popular shoe brands on the market.

Chances are Steve Madden’s latest acquisition will fare to be more lucrative for the company than the Brian Atwood deal.

(Photo by Getty Images)