Similarly, brands like Stuart Weizmann, Nine West, Steve Madden and Aldo, among others, can be found operating their own stores throughout the city.

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What I do at Steve Madden is really a community effort, with several innovative projects being worked on by my direct team members in collaboration with people throughout the entire company.

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Boutiques.com doesn't sell the items, which come from hundreds of online merchants such as Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden and Juicy Couture, but directs shoppers to sites where they can be purchased.

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As a whole, branching out beyond prom dresses was a smart move for the brand, which filed for bankruptcy protection more than a year ago and is now owned by Steve Madden.

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