Industry powerbroker Solomon Lew has shut down.
Solomon Lew is set to shutter Steve Madden stores in Australia in the wake of a legal dispute with the international footwear brand.
Lew has told the Supreme Court of Victoria he will close the local network of 15 stores over a licensing disagreement.
It is understood Lew Footwear Holdings is seeking to terminate a licensing agreement with Steve Madden Limited's Hong Kong-based subsidiary Madden International.
Lew Footwear Holdings has alleged Madden International misled the company by overcharging for shoes it was buying through a wholesale agreement in 2009.
The Australian reports that while Madden International has yet to file a formal defence, a lawyer has confirmed it will defend the claim.