Defloresyfloreros was selected for the exhibition “Cristóbal Balenciaga | "Shoes from Spain Tribute", the first monographic exhibition dedicated to Cristóbal Balenciaga in Italy, a tribute from Spanish footwear to the figure and work of the master, organized by the Spanish Footwear Industry Federation FICE together with ICEX Spain Export and Investment, among other partners, and sponsored by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. The Palazzo Morando, a 16th-century palace in the heart of the fashion quadrilateral, hosted the project during the last Milan Fashion Week in February.

The exhibition, which welcomed more than 25,000 visitors – including Manolo Blahnik, Olivia Palermo, Anna Dello Russo, and Leonardo Ferragamo – paid tribute to the master Balenciaga through a dialogue between archive pieces from major Spanish museums and private collections and contemporary creations from 25 footwear brands selected by competition, allowing the creation of a total look adaptable to 2025 that demonstrated the timelessness of the master's work, also considering that he never designed footwear.

For this sample, Defloresyfloreros in collaboration with Mariana Barturen's workshop created a sandal-sculpture in black silk velvet adorned with curled silk organza roses and velvet leaves, hand-modeled petal by petal.

The design dialogued with an iconic 1952 dress by Cristóbal Balenciaga belonging to the Museu del Disseny – DHUB Barcelona: a black wool taffeta mermaid dress with a large tobacco-colored cotton tulle ruffle, crowned by a rose. An iconic piece that had been immortalized by Richard Avedon for the American cover of Harper’s Bazaar (November 1952).

On this page, you can see the photographs by Juan Carlos Vega, the official photographer of the exhibition and its catalog, of these pieces.