Rue 21 and Higher

Rue 21, an apparel specialty retailer for teens and young adults, has launched a new junior’s plus-size division called Rue+. The top company said its customers have been asking for more plus-size clothing and footwear. The new product offering for teen girls will be available at Rue21.com and in select stores nationwide.

Rue+ sizes will range from 14-24 for bottoms and 1X-3X for tops. Footwear sizes now include wide width options. Prices start at $9.99 for an assortment that includes apparel, outerwear, accessories and footwear. The company is offering free shipping on Rue+ merchandise on Rue21.com for a limited time. To promote its plus size launch, Rue 21 is using social media by hosting an Instagram contest for a chance to win a Rue+ shopping spree.

The Rue+ launch comes as the retailer celebrates the one-year anniversary of its e-commerce website launch. The year 2013 was a pivotal year for the company. In that year, Rue 21 launched its much anticipated e-commerce business, introduced the RueGuy store format, and transitioned back from a publicly held to a privately owned company.

Rue 21 started the year 2008 with less than 500 stores. The retailer opened more than 100 stores each year since going public in 2009. Currently, the company operates 1,100 stores. The top teen retailer anticipates growing to more than 1,700 stores in the continental United States in the near future. Although Rue 21’s financials are now private, new store openings are listed on the company’s website for all to see.

While other competitors were struggling, Rue 21 continued to thrive. From 2007 to now, the company saw a 132% growth rate in store count and a 234% growth rate in annual sales. Ending the last fiscal year with $992 million in sales, I am confident the fast growing company will hit the $1 billion mark soon. Rue 21 and its merchandise continues to grow.