A size 12 in one designer is not a size 12 in the next. Most people have worked that out the hard way. What fewer people realise is that the first reason has nothing to do with fit at all: the brands are not even using the same numbering system.
We went through our own rail to check rather than generalising. Across five European labels we stock, there are four different sizing systems in use, and one brand uses three of them depending on what you are buying.
At a glance
- The number on a designer label is not a UK dress size unless the brand says so
- L'Agence uses alpha sizing, UK numbers and waist inches, depending on the piece
- Marella labels in UK numbers
- Patrizia Pepe uses UK numbers on some pieces and waist inches on denim
- Dea Kudibal uses XS to XL, Creenstone uses continental 36 to 44
- Fit the shoulder first: it is the one thing nothing else compensates for
- Ring the boutique on 01202 767888 if you are between sizes in a specific style
- Four systems, five brands
- Start at the shoulder
- The other three checks
- When to just ask
- Frequently asked questions
Four systems, five brands
This is taken from the sizes actually on our own product pages, not from a general guide.
| Brand | How it labels | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| L'Agence | XS to L on some pieces, UK numbers on others, waist inches on denim | The most variable of the five. Check which system the specific piece uses before you convert anything. |
| Marella | UK numbers, 6 to 12 and up | The most straightforward. The number means roughly what you expect it to. |
| Patrizia Pepe | UK numbers on tailoring, waist inches on denim | Two systems in one brand, so a 28 and a 10 can both be yours. |
| Dea Kudibal | XS to XL | Alpha sizing across the range, which means fewer steps between sizes. |
| Creenstone | Continental, 36 to 44 | Subtract nothing and assume nothing. It is a different scale entirely. |
The practical consequence is that converting from your usual UK size is the wrong first move. Read what system the piece is in, then fit it.
Start at the shoulder
If you check one thing, check this. A garment is hung from the shoulders and everything below follows from where that seam sits.
The shoulder seam should land on your shoulder bone. Half an inch outboard and the sleeve head collapses, the armhole drops and the whole piece hangs backwards. It will look like the garment is too big even when the body fits perfectly.
A tailor can take in a waist, shorten a sleeve and move a hem without much trouble. Moving a shoulder means dismantling the top of the garment, which is why nobody does it cheaply. Fit the shoulder and alter the rest.
The other three checks
- The armhole. Lift your arm. European tailoring often cuts a higher, smaller armhole than British high-street sizing, which looks more elegant and feels tighter. Higher is not wrong. Digging in is.
- The waistband. Designer trousers frequently sit higher than you are used to. If the waistband has ended up on your hip, the piece is probably too big rather than cut oddly.
- The hem, in the shoes you will wear. Lengths on designer pieces are often deliberate and longer than expected. Check before you assume it needs shortening, because a cropped trouser cut to sit above the ankle is doing that on purpose.
When to just ask
Fit varies not only between brands but between styles within a brand, and it moves between seasons as cuts change. Any guide that tells you a label always runs small is describing a snapshot, and a snapshot goes out of date.
What does not go out of date is the garment in front of us. If you are between two sizes, or buying a designer you have not worn before, ring the boutique on 01202 767888. We can look at the actual piece, tell you how that style comes up, and say when something is not going to suit you.
That last part is the useful bit. It is also the bit a website cannot do.
The full edit sits across L'Agence, Marella and Patrizia Pepe.
Frequently asked questions
Why am I a different size in different designer brands?
Partly because the cuts differ, but the first reason is more basic: the brands are not using the same numbering system. Across five labels we stock there are four systems in play. L'Agence uses alpha sizing, UK numbers and waist inches depending on the piece; Marella uses UK numbers; Patrizia Pepe uses UK numbers on tailoring and waist inches on denim; Dea Kudibal uses XS to XL; Creenstone uses continental 36 to 44. Read which system a piece is in before converting from your usual size.
What should I check first when trying something on?
The shoulder seam. It should sit on your shoulder bone. A garment hangs from the shoulders, so if that seam is half an inch out the sleeve head collapses and the whole piece hangs backwards, which reads as too big even when the body fits. A tailor can take in a waist or shorten a sleeve easily, but moving a shoulder means taking the top of the garment apart, so it is rarely worth doing. Fit the shoulder and alter the rest.
European armholes feel tight on me. Is the size wrong?
Not necessarily. European tailoring often uses a higher and smaller armhole than British high-street sizing. It gives a cleaner line and more arm movement, and it can feel restrictive if you are not used to it. The test is whether it digs in when you lift your arm, rather than whether it feels closer than you expect. Snug and high is the intended shape; digging in is a size or shape problem.
Should I shorten designer trousers that feel long?
Check the intended length before you do. Designer pieces often carry deliberate lengths, and a trouser cut to finish above the ankle is meant to sit there. Try them on with the shoes you will actually wear, since that decides the hem more than anything else. If they genuinely need shortening, hemming to one specific pair of shoes gives a better result than hemming to an average.
How do I find my size if I am buying online?
Ring the boutique on 01202 767888 before ordering. Fit varies between styles within a brand and shifts between seasons, so a general rule about a label going out of date is worse than no rule. We can look at the actual garment, tell you how that particular style comes up and give you an answer specific to the piece rather than to the brand. It takes a couple of minutes and saves a return.
Written by No19 Boutique
No19 Boutique curates European designer womenswear from 19 Westbourne Arcade in Bournemouth, chosen for quality, cut and considered design. The team knows the brands properly and will tell you honestly what suits you, in store and online across the UK.