Basis of Reporting (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Basis of Reporting (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy	Basis of Reporting The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Steven Madden, Ltd. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, such statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring items) which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position of the Company and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The results of its operations for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year. It is suggested that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related disclosures for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Annual Report of Steven Madden, Ltd. on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 29, 2012.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy	Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-08, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other” (“ASU 2011-08”). Under ASU 2011-08, when testing goodwill for impairment, an entity has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If an entity believes, as a result of its qualitative assessment that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, performing the current two-step impairment test is not required. The guidance also includes a number of events and circumstances that an entity should consider in conducting the qualitative assessment. The adoption of this guidance, which became effective for the Company on January 1, 2012, did not have a material impact on our financial statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income” (“ASU No. 2011-05”). Under ASU No. 2011-05, an entity has the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. Regardless of which option is selected, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. ASU No. 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. ASU No. 2011-05 which became effective for the Company on January 1, 2012, only affected the presentation of financial statements and thus had no impact on the financial results or financial position. In October 2011, the FASB announced plans to defer the presentation of items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income alongside their respective components of net income and other comprehensive income.
Use of Estimates, Policy	Significant areas involving management estimates include allowances for bad debts, returns and customer chargebacks and contingent payment liability. The Company provides reserves on trade accounts receivables and due from factors for future customer chargebacks and markdown allowances, discounts, returns and other miscellaneous compliance related deductions that relate to the current period sales. The Company evaluates anticipated chargebacks by reviewing several performance indicators of its major customers. These performance indicators, which include retailers’ inventory levels, sell-through rates and gross margin levels, are analyzed by management to estimate the amount of the anticipated customer allowance.
Marketable Securities, Policy	Marketable Securities Marketable securities consist primarily of corporate bonds with maturities greater than three months and up to ten years at the time of purchase as well as marketable equity securities. These securities, which are classified as available-for-sale, are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of any tax effect, reported in stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). These securities are classified as current and non-current marketable securities based upon their maturities. Amortization of premiums and discounts is included in interest income. For the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2012, the amortization of bond premiums totals $182 and $710, respectively, compared to $234 and $898, respectively, for the comparable periods in 2011. The values of these securities may fluctuate as a result of changes in equity values, market interest rates and credit risk.
Revenue Recognition, Policy	Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes revenue on wholesale sales when products are shipped pursuant to its standard terms, which are freight on board (“FOB”) Company warehouse, or when products are delivered to the consolidators, or any other destination, as per the terms of the customers’ purchase order, persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determinable and collection is reasonably assured. Sales reductions on wholesale sales for anticipated discounts, allowances and other deductions are recognized during the period when sales are recorded. Customers retain the right to replacement of the product for poor quality or improper or short shipments, which have historically been immaterial. Retail sales are recognized when the payment is received from customers and are recorded net of estimated returns. The Company also generates commission income acting as a buying agent by arranging to manufacture private label shoes to the specifications of its clients. The Company’s commission revenue includes fees charged for its design, product and development services provided to certain suppliers in connection with the Company’s private label business. Commission revenue and product and development fees are recognized as earned when title to the product transfers from the manufacturer to the customer and collections are reasonably assured and are reported on a net basis after deducting related operating expenses. The Company licenses its Steve Madden® and Steven by Steve Madden® trademarks for use in connection with the manufacture, marketing and sale of sunglasses, eyewear, outerwear, bedding, hosiery and sleepwear. In addition, the Company licenses the Betsey Johnson® trademarks for use in connection with the manufacture, marketing and sale of sleepwear, jewelry, swimwear, eyewear, watches, fragrances, outerwear and luggage. The license agreements require the licensee to pay the Company a royalty and, in substantially all of the agreements, an advertising fee based on the higher of a minimum or a net sales percentage as defined in the various agreements. In addition, under the terms of retail selling agreements, most of the Company’s international distributors are required to pay the Company a royalty based on a percentage of net sales, in addition to a commission and a design fee on the purchases of the Company’s products. Licensing revenue is recognized on the basis of net sales reported by the licensees, or the minimum guaranteed royalties, if higher. In substantially all of the Company’s license agreements, the minimum guaranteed royalty is earned and payable on a quarterly basis.
Revenue Recognition, Excise and Sales Taxes, Policy	Taxes Collected From Customers The Company accounts for certain taxes collected from its customers in accordance with the accounting guidance which permits companies to adopt a policy of presenting taxes in the income statement on either a gross basis (included in revenues and costs) or a net basis (excluded from revenues). Taxes within the scope of this accounting guidance would include taxes that are imposed on a revenue transaction between a seller and a customer, for example, sales taxes, use taxes, value-added taxes and some types of excise taxes. The Company has consistently recorded all taxes on a net basis.
Revenue Recognition, Sales Deductions, Policy	Sales Deductions The Company supports retailers’ initiatives to maximize sales of the Company’s products on the retail floor by subsidizing the co-op advertising programs of such retailers, providing them with inventory markdown allowances and participating in various other marketing initiatives of its major customers. In addition, the Company accepts returns for damaged products for which the Company’s costs are normally charged back to the responsible third-party factory. Such expenses are reflected in the financial statements as deductions to net sales.
Cost of Sales, Policy	Cost of Sales All costs incurred to bring finished products to the Company’s distribution center or to the customers’ freight forwarder and, in the Retail segment, the costs to bring products to the Company’s stores, are included in the cost of sales line on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. These include the cost of finished products, purchase commissions, letter of credit fees, brokerage fees, sample expenses, custom duty, inbound freight, royalty payments on licensed products, labels and product packaging. All warehouse and distribution costs related to the Wholesale segments and freight to customers, if any, are included in the operating expenses line item of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company’s gross margins may not be comparable to those of other companies in the industry because some companies may include warehouse and distribution costs, as well as other costs excluded from cost of sales by the Company, as a component of cost of sales, while other companies report on the same basis as the Company and include them in operating expenses.

Disclosure of accounting policy for recognition of costs in the period which correspond to the sales and revenue categories presented in the statement of operations. The accounting policy may include the amount and nature of costs incurred, provisions associated with inventories, purchase discounts, freight and other costs included in cost of sales incurred and recorded in the period. This disclosure also includes the nature of costs of sales incurred and recorded in the statement of operations for the period relating to transactions with related parties.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for investments in debt and equity securities that are classified as available-for-sale. This policy also may describe the entity's accounting treatment for transfers between investment categories, how the entity determines whether impairments of available-for-sale securities are other than temporary, and how the fair values of such securities are determined.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 2, 12

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 10, 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196929

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section M

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition for sales allowances.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition. If the entity has different policies for different types of revenue transactions, the policy for each material type of transaction is generally disclosed. If a sales transaction has multiple element arrangements (for example, delivery of multiple products, services or the rights to use assets) the disclosure may indicate the accounting policy for each unit of accounting as well as how units of accounting are determined and valued. The disclosure may encompass important judgment as to appropriateness of principles related to recognition of revenue. The disclosure also may indicate the entity's treatment of any unearned or deferred revenue that arises from the transaction.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

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