How to Find Your Perfect Size in Atos Lombardini

By Ella Blake | Tellar Fashion Hub

If you're shopping Atos Lombardini for the first time, here's what you need to know straight away: this Italian brand runs small and slim, and sizing up is almost always the right call. As a brand rooted in Italian tailoring tradition, their cuts are designed for a narrow, European silhouette — and if you've ever been burned by Italian sizing before, you'll know exactly what I mean. I tried on a blazer in my usual UK 12 and genuinely couldn't get my arms into the sleeves. Went up two sizes, and it was immaculate. Lesson learned.

Who Is Atos Lombardini?

Atos Lombardini is a sophisticated Italian womenswear brand that has been dressing elegant, discerning women since the 1980s. Based in Bologna, the label is known for its structured tailoring, refined fabrics, and a quietly luxurious aesthetic — think beautifully cut trousers, sleek knitwear, and impeccably constructed coats. It's the kind of brand where the details do the talking. No logos, no loud prints — just exceptional fit and fabric.

It's particularly popular in Italy, France, and among European women who value understated quality over trend-chasing. If you're discovering it for the first time through a boutique or a multi-brand platform like Luisa Via Roma or Farfetch, you're in for a treat — but only if you get the sizing right.

How Does Atos Lombardini Size Their Clothes?

Atos Lombardini uses Italian sizing, which runs in even numbers: 38, 40, 42, 44, 46. This is important because Italian sizing is consistently smaller and narrower than UK sizing. As a rule of thumb:

Italian 38 ≈ UK 8 / EU 36
Italian 40 ≈ UK 10 / EU 38
Italian 42 ≈ UK 12 / EU 40
Italian 44 ≈ UK 14 / EU 42
Italian 46 ≈ UK 16 / EU 44

However — and this is critical — these are approximate conversions only. Atos Lombardini's cuts are tailored and structured, meaning the actual measurements in the garment often sit on the smaller end of each size bracket. If you're between sizes, always go up rather than down.

✦ Ella's tip: If you're shopping online without the option to try on, use your bust and hip measurements rather than relying on a size number alone. Italian tailoring tends to be cut for a more narrow hip, so if you carry more volume there, definitely size up.

How to Measure Yourself for Atos Lombardini

Before you buy anything from this brand online, take these three measurements at home — it takes two minutes and will save you a world of returns faff:

Bust: Measure around the fullest part of your chest, keeping the tape parallel to the floor.
Waist: Measure around your natural waist — that's the narrowest point above your hips, usually about an inch above your belly button.
Hips: Measure around the fullest part of your hips and seat, typically about 8–9 inches below the waist.

Once you have those numbers, compare them to Atos Lombardini's size guide on whichever retailer you're using (Farfetch and Browns tend to have the most detailed breakdowns). Always prioritise the measurement that's closest to the edge of a size bracket — that's where you size up.

Which Pieces Run the Most True to Size?

Not everything in the Atos Lombardini range fits the same way. Here's a rough guide from my experience and customer feedback:

Tailored trousers and cigarette pants: These run particularly slim through the hips and thighs. I'd strongly suggest sizing up here, especially if you're curvier below the waist.
Knitwear and knitted dresses: These tend to have a little more give. You can often go with your usual Italian size equivalent, though the shoulders can run narrow on some styles.
Structured blazers and jackets: Size up. Italian tailoring in this price point is cut close through the body and arms. Even if the chest fits, the sleeve width may catch you out.
Trench coats and outerwear: Generally more forgiving — usually true to size or just one up.
Silk and fluid blouses: These tend to have more ease built in. Your usual Italian size equivalent should work here.

What Style Works Best for Different Body Shapes?

Atos Lombardini's strength is its tailoring, which makes it particularly brilliant for women who love structure. Here's how I'd approach it by shape:

Hourglass: You'll love the brand's fitted knitwear and structured dresses — they're made for your proportions. Watch the hip measurements in tailored trousers though.
Pear shape: Opt for their looser-fitting knits and fluid blouses on top, and be generous with sizing on the bottom half. Their wider-leg trousers are a brilliant option.
Apple/fuller through the middle: The brand's shift dresses and longline knits are your friends. Avoid anything described as "fitted" through the torso unless you've sized up.
Petite: The cropped trousers and shorter-length knits work brilliantly. Sleeves can occasionally be a touch long on longer styles.
Tall: The wide-leg and straight-leg trousers tend to have a longer inseam than many brands — great news for longer legs.

Where to Buy Atos Lombardini in the UK

The brand isn't stocked widely on the high street, but you can find it at:

Farfetch — good range, customer reviews helpful for sizing context
Browns Fashion — curated selection with strong styling notes
Luisa Via Roma — sometimes the widest selection, ships to the UK
NET-A-PORTER — occasional capsule pieces when in stock
MatchesFashion — archived stock still available via resellers

Always check returns policies before ordering, especially from European retailers — some charge for UK returns post-Brexit and it's worth knowing before you click buy.

High Street & Premium Alternatives When Atos Lombardini Is Out of Budget

Look, not every day calls for designer spend — and there are some brilliant alternatives if you love the Atos Lombardini aesthetic (structured, Italian-influenced, refined) but want something at a lower price point.

Massimo Dutti — probably the closest aesthetic match on the high street. Beautifully structured trousers, quality knitwear, restrained design. I wear their blazers constantly.
Jigsaw — grown-up, intelligent womenswear with great fabrics. Their tailoring pieces in particular punch well above their price point.
Reiss — strong on structured coats and tailored pieces. The cuts are sharper than many high street brands.
Me&Em — elevated British brand with a similar ethos to Atos Lombardini: quality fabrics, minimal branding, investment dressing.
Cos — very strong if you like the architectural, understated end of Italian fashion. Excellent quality for the price.
Whistles — particularly good for versatile, well-cut basics that work the same way as Atos Lombardini's simpler pieces.
Hobbs — a reliable option for tailored coats and smart pieces with a similar refined sensibility.
Phase Eight — great for occasion dressing and structured dresses if the Atos Lombardini formal pieces appeal to you.

For genuinely independent options, I'd also point you towards Aeron London — a Croatian-founded brand with beautiful minimalist tailoring, now stocked in Selfridges — and Totême, the Swedish label that occupies a very similar space to Atos Lombardini in terms of aesthetic and price. Both are worth knowing about if you're building a wardrobe of refined, no-nonsense pieces.

Never Get Your Size Wrong Again — Use Tellar

This is exactly why Tellar.co.uk exists. Sizing varies wildly between brands — even within the same category of clothing — and Atos Lombardini is a perfect example of a label where guessing your size from habit will catch you out.

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