STEVEN MADDEN LTD

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE U.S. PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding revenue and earnings guidance, plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, and intentions. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as: “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “should,” “anticipate,” “project,” “predict,” “plan,” “intend,” or “estimate,” and similar expressions, or the negative of these expressions. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they represent our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding anticipated events and trends affecting our business, and industry based on information available as of the time such statements are made. We caution investors that such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy, and some of which may be outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. As such, investors should not rely upon them. Important risk factors include:

•geopolitical tensions in the regions in which we operate and any related challenging macroeconomic conditions globally may materially and adversely affect our customers, vendors, and partners, and the duration and extent to which these factors may impact our future business and operations, results of operations, and financial condition;

•our ability to navigate shifting macro-economic environments including but not limited to inflation and the potential for recessionary conditions;

•our ability to accurately anticipate fashion trends and promptly respond to consumer demand;

•our ability to compete effectively in a highly competitive market;

•our ability to adapt our business model to rapid changes in the retail industry;

•supply chain disruptions to product delivery systems and logistics, and our ability to properly manage inventory;

•our reliance on independent manufacturers to produce and deliver products in a timely manner, especially when faced with adversities such as work stoppages, transportation delays, public health emergencies, social unrest, changes in local economic conditions, and political upheavals as well as their ability to meet our quality standards;

•our dependence on the retention and hiring of key personnel;

•our ability to successfully implement growth strategies;

•changes in trade policies and tariffs imposed by the United States government and the governments of other nations in which we manufacture and sell products;

•our ability to adequately protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights;

•our ability to maintain adequate liquidity when negatively impacted by unforeseen events such as an epidemic or a pandemic, which may cause disruption to our business operations for an indeterminable period of time;

•legal, regulatory, political, and economic risks that may affect our sales in international markets;

•changes in U.S. and foreign tax laws that could have an adverse effect on our financial results;

•additional tax liabilities resulting from audits by various taxing authorities;

•cybersecurity risks and costs of defending against, mitigating, and responding to data security threats and breaches impacting the Company;

•our ability to achieve operating results that are consistent with prior financial guidance; and

•other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

These risks and uncertainties, along with the risk factors discussed under Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking statements contained in this report. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, including without limitation, any guidance regarding revenue or earnings, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

Part I

ACCESS TO COMPANY REPORTS AND OTHER INFORMATION

Steven Madden, Ltd. (collectively, with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” "we," "our," or "us," as applicable) was incorporated in New York on July 9, 1990, reincorporated under the same name in Delaware in November 1998 and completed its initial public offering in December 1993.

We file Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other reports and information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These reports, any amendments to such reports, and our proxy statements for our stockholders' meetings are available free of charge on the "Investor Relations" section of our website, https://www.stevemadden.com/, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. We will provide paper copies of such filings free of charge upon request. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding us, which is available at http://www.sec.gov.

We have a Code of Ethics for our Chief Executive Officer and our senior financial officers, as well as a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for members of our Board of Directors, each of which is attached as an exhibit to this Annual Report. We also have a Code of Conduct that is applicable to all of our employees, which is attached as an exhibit to our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2019. Each of these codes is posted on our website at https://investor.stevemadden.com/corporate-governance/highlights. We will provide paper copies of these codes free of charge upon request. We intend to disclose on our website any amendments to, or waivers of, these codes that would otherwise be reportable on a current report on Form 8-K. Such disclosure would be posted within four business days following the date of the amendment or waiver.