<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-04</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000913241</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MADDEN STEVEN LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SHOO</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001158938</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KOPPELMAN CHARLES</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-04</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-06-04</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.5</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>200500</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-04</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-06-04</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.8</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>200500</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">On June 4, 2003, the Reporting Person exercised options to purchase 50,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $13.50 per share, which options had been previously granted to the Reporting Person. </footnote><footnote id="F2">As of June 4, 2003 (after giving effect to the transactions reported on this Form 4), the Reporting Person held 50,500 shares of Common Stock directly and held options to purchase 150,000 shares of Common Stock.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Charles Koppelman</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-06</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

