Stradivarius opens first for&from store in Barcelona

Stradivarius, an Inditex fashion retailer, has opened a store in downtown Manresa (Barcelona) staffed by people with serious mental illness (SMI). It launched the project in conjunction with Moltacte, a local cooperative which helps people with this disability in employment integration by managing retail establishments. 

This initiative is part of Inditex’s employment integration programme for&from, designed for individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities. The programme began in 2002 with the opening of a pilot Massimo Dutti store. With this opening, the for&from concept is currently in place at a network of six stores: two in Palafolls, Barcelona (Massimo Dutti and Bershka); two in Allariz, Ourense (Massimo Dutti and Tempe, the accessories and footwear specialised company of the Inditex Group); and one Tempe store in Elche (Alicante).

The new Stradivarius, located at 13 Dante Street in Manresa, will sell the retailer’s past-season clothing and footwear at reduced prices and employ six workers, four of whom have SMI. These workers will receive ongoing psychological and professional support both from Moltacte and from Stradivarius store teams. 

The establishment is outfitted with a range of architectural features designed to enhance accessibility and mobility for physically disabled individuals, including wide walkways and an entrance equipped with an access ramp. Additionally, environmental features such as sliding doors prevent loss of heat and cooling energy within the store, while automatic lighting in some areas contributes to energy savings. Moltacte will manage an area reserved for it within the store to raise awareness of the organisation's activities. 

For Stradivarius, this project represents a further step in its social activities in the Catalonian region of Bages, which began with the Salta Project, a programme to train and encourage women at risk of social exclusion to join the labour market.

Inditex Group