What it is, I think, is that Maddens tend to run wider than the industry average for the particular length. I don't think this brand is "narrow foot friendly".
I'm a spacious 10.5M in most designer shoes because of my width. If I had a narrower, more average width, I would probably be in a 9, maximum. With Steve Madden, I can wear a 9 with no width issues at all.