Exhibit 5.1

June 20, 2024

Designer Brands Inc.

810 DSW Drive

Columbus, Ohio 43219

Re: Designer Brands Inc.

Registration Statement on Form S-8 Filed on June 20, 2024

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Designer Brands Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on the date hereof. The Registration Statement relates to the registration of the offer and sale of 24,000,000 shares of Class A common shares, without par value, of the Company (the “Class A Common Shares”), which may be issued under the Designer Brands Inc. 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (as Amended and Restated) (the “Plan”).

In connection with this opinion letter, we have examined the Registration Statement and originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, (ii) the Amended and Restated Code of Regulations of the Company, (iii) certain resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Registration Statement, (iv) the Plan, and (v) such other documents, records and other instruments as we have deemed appropriate for purposes of the opinions set forth herein.

We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of the documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified, facsimile or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. With respect to matters of fact relevant to our opinions as set forth below, we have relied upon certificates of officers of the Company, representations made by the Company in documents examined by us, and representations of officers of the Company. We have also obtained and relied upon such certificates and assurances from public officials as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of our opinions set forth below.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, we are of the opinion, as of the date hereof, that the Class A Common Shares have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued by the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.

We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are acting within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules or regulations of the SEC thereunder.

The opinions expressed herein are limited to the Federal laws of the United States and the Ohio Revised Code, and we express no opinion with respect to the laws of any other state or jurisdiction.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP

Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP