Madison Avenue shops will soon be embellished with a different look — sketches and designs by CFDA student scholarship winners.

It’s a key element of the third annual “Step Up for Fashion on Madison Avenue,” set for Sept. 19 and presented by the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District and the Council of Fashion Designers of America to benefit the CFDA Scholarship Fund.  

The initiative draws CFDA members, designers, brands, retailers, students, and the Madison Avenue community to celebrate fashion and creativity, and support the fund. Participating retailers will donate 10 percent of their sales that day to the fund. Many will be staging informal fall fashion presentations, and along the streets, there will be carts selling flowers, drinks and treats.

Step Up for Fashion is also the centerpiece of Madison Avenue’s “Welcome Back Saturday” event geared to usher in the fall season on the Upper East Side as people return from vacations and their summer residences.

As part of the festivities, many of the scholarship winners will be greeting shoppers; Raúl Àvila will curate an exhibit of fashion drawings and designs by the scholarship winners in the lobby of The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel, and a reception hosted by the CFDA in collaboration with Casa Tua New York, the restaurant and private club, and The Surrey will kick off the day.

In recognition of the CFDA’s Women in Design Scholarship, Carolina Herrera, in conjunction with the CFDA, will transform its flagship at Madison Avenue and 76^th Street with a special installation, also by Raúl Àvila.

There is a long list of designers, brands and retailers participating in the event including Akris, Alice & Olivia, Altuzarra, Anne Fontaine, Bond No. 9 New York, Cami NYC, Camilla, Fleur de Mal, Flora on Madison, Initio Parfums Privés, Ivar Fine Jewelry, Jaded, Jenni Kayne, Kirna Zabête, L’Agence, Lafayette 148, Mackage, Marina Rinaldi, Marli, Max Mara, Michael Kors Collections,  Nardos, Parfums de Marly, Paul Morelli, ReBalance, Sidney Garber Fine Jewelry, Tanya Taylor, Todd Snyder, Thom Browne, Veronica Beard, Veronica De Piante, Vera Wang, Vince, Wellness+ Studio, Wolford, Yigal Azrouël, Ulla Johnson, and Zadig & Voltaire.

“Madison Avenue has welcomed an extraordinary number of new fashion and jewelry businesses this year, reinforcing New York’s enduring importance as a fashion capital,” said Matthew Bauer, president of the Madison Avenue BID, which covers the avenue from 57th to 86th streets as well the side streets along the stretch. “Step Up for Fashion celebrates the energy and talent of our fashion community while welcoming New Yorkers and visitors back to the avenue after the summer. By inviting shoppers to experience special programming, and by directing a portion of sales at participating stores to the CFDA Scholarship Fund, we are investing in the next generation of American designers and the design expertise and artistry that will keep New York at the forefront of fashion.”  

“Madison Avenue has long stood at the heart of American and global fashion and luxury, and we are deeply grateful to the Madison Avenue BID for making philanthropy part of that story through Step Up for Fashion,” said Steven Kolb, CFDA’s president and chief executive officer.

“Few streets bring fashion, culture and hospitality together the way Madison Avenue does,” said Pradeep Raman, regional vice president and managing director of The Surrey. “We are delighted to welcome the CFDA and support a day that brings people together around creativity, philanthropy, and the next generation of American design.”