Stock-based Compensation (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	May 02, 2015	May 03, 2014
DSW Stock-Based Compensation Plans [Abstract]
Annual vesting percentage (in hundredths)	20.00%
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 3,563,000	$ 2,888,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Accelerated Compensation Cost	2,800,000
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	18,470,000
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	3,156,000
Granted	877,000
Exercised	(224,000)
Forfeited	(31,000)
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	3,778,000
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	1,969,000
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	1,996,000	1,915,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rate	1.40%	1.90%
Expected volatility of DSW Common Shares	37.90%	45.80%
Expected option term	5 years 1 month	5 years 5 months
Dividend yield	2.10%	2.30%
Weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 10.24	$ 12.50
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	2 years 5 months
Stock Options [Member]
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	3,500,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rate	0.20%
Expected volatility of DSW Common Shares	25.70%
Expected option term	1 year 0 months
Dividend yield	2.40%
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options	6,736,000
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	320,000
Granted	80,000
Exercised	(83,000)
Forfeited	(10,000)
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	307,000
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	0
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	867,000	730,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	2 years 1 month
Performance Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options	8,448,000
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	173,000
Granted	145,000
Exercised	0
Forfeited	0
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	318,000
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	0
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	658,000	203,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	2 years 5 months
Director Stock Units [Member]
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	360,000
Granted	3,000
Exercised	(1,000)
Forfeited	0
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	362,000
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	0
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 42,000	$ 40,000
Stock Compensation Plan [Member]
DSW Stock-Based Compensation Plans [Abstract]
Number of shares authorized (in shares)	8,500,000