The Surprising True Story Behind Steve Madden

“Who the fuck is Steve Madden?” Shoe designer Steve Madden himself poses this question with a raspy, Queens accent in the opening scene of Maddman: The Steve Madden Story, a new documentary directed by Ben Patterson. Madden stands, arms crossed, in his usual getup of jeans, a tight henley shirt, boots, and a baseball cap. He looks like Bruce Willis, if Bruce Willis were a billion-dollar business owner, former convict, recovering addict, and father of three who’s been designing trendy shoes for the past 27 years. At the age of 60, Madden is questioning his legacy. He knows you recognize the name printed on shoe boxes across 65 different countries, but do you know the man behind them? Could you conjure an image of him in your head? Is he even a real person? Maddman, which premieres December 1 on iTunes, provides some answers. Read more at The Cut.