What Is Sizing Like at Dries Van Noten?

Dries Van Noten clothing is generally true to size, but there's a catch that trips up almost every first-time buyer: the brand uses Italian (IT) sizing, not UK sizing — and if you don't account for that before you click buy, you'll end up with something two sizes too large sitting on your doorstep. Once you've got your head around the conversion, though, the sizing is actually one of the more consistent and generous things about the brand.

I'll be honest — my first DVN purchase was a masterclass in confusion. I was buying a printed silk blouse from a resale site, spotted a label that said "44" and thought nothing of it. I'm a UK 14. A size 44 should be fine, right? Reader, it was enormous. Two sizes too big and pooling around me like a very beautiful tent. That's when I learned the golden rule of Dries Van Noten shopping: always convert from IT to UK sizing before you do anything else.

The Italian Sizing Issue — and How to Get It Right

Unlike most British and US luxury brands, Dries Van Noten — being a Belgian label — sizes its garments using the Italian convention. Here's a quick conversion cheat sheet for women's clothing:

IT 36 = UK 8
IT 38 = UK 10
IT 40 = UK 12
IT 42 = UK 14
IT 44 = UK 16
IT 46 = UK 18

So if you're a UK 12, you're ordering a DVN 40 — not a 44. It sounds obvious once you know, but when you're on a resale platform at midnight eyeing a gorgeous beaded jacket, it's remarkably easy to get wrong. I speak from expensive experience.

Clothing: How Does the Fit Actually Feel?

Once you've cracked the sizing conversion, Dries Van Noten is pleasingly consistent. Most pieces sit true to size across the chest, waist and hips. The brand's signature aesthetic — those bold prints, fluid silhouettes, layered textures — means many pieces are deliberately cut with a relaxed, slightly generous volume. This isn't a brand that's trying to sculpt you; it's a brand that wants to dress you.

Dresses and skirts: True to size in most cases, often with a relaxed or fluid cut. DVN dresses aren't typically bodycon — they're constructed to drape and move, which means they're generally forgiving across the body.
Blouses and tops: True to size, though some of the more structured or tailored tops can feel slightly narrow in the shoulder. If you're broad across the top, consider going up one IT size.
Blazers and tailoring: This is where fit becomes the most nuanced. DVN blazers can run narrow in the shoulder and arm, particularly in older seasons. The brand cuts for a slimmer shoulder profile — wonderful if that's your shape, trickier if you carry width at the top. My honest advice: size up one if you're between sizes and buying tailoring online.
Trousers: The most reliable category. DVN trousers are consistently true to size at the waist and hip and are generally the safest online purchase.
Knitwear: Often intentionally oversized, so check the product description carefully. A piece described as "relaxed fit" in an IT 38 may actually swamp a UK 10 — sometimes that's exactly the look, sometimes it isn't.

Shoes: Trickier Than You'd Think

DVN shoes are genuinely gorgeous — sculptural, often embellished, always interesting — but they are notoriously inconsistent in sizing. The general pattern that emerges from years of fashion forum wisdom is this: summer shoes tend to run slightly large, and closed-toe winter styles tend to run a little small. Sneakers specifically (and DVN does excellent sneakers) run a full size large — Net-a-Porter notes this directly on product pages — so size down if you're going for trainers.

My rule? If you can try DVN shoes on in-store, do it. If you're ordering online, check the retailer's specific product notes — Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa are particularly good about flagging fit issues on individual styles — and when in doubt, use Tellar's Store Size Lookup to match your foot measurements directly.

A Brief Note on the Brand Right Now

It's worth knowing that Dries Van Noten himself stepped back from the label he founded in 2024 after nearly four decades at the helm, handing creative direction to Julian Klausner. The brand continues, and the sizing conventions remain consistent, but if you're shopping newer seasons, you may notice subtle shifts in silhouette and cut as Klausner puts his own stamp on things. Worth keeping in mind if you're buying from a mix of old and new stock.

How to Style Dries Van Noten (Without It Wearing You)

DVN is one of those brands where less is genuinely more in terms of styling effort. The clothes do the talking.

A single printed DVN dress needs nothing except a flat shoe and maybe a clean tote. Resist the urge to accessorise heavily — the print is the accessory.
DVN separates are brilliant for mixing with plainer pieces. A bold DVN blouse works beautifully with wide-leg tailored trousers in a solid neutral, letting the print take centre stage.
The brand's knitwear and beaded pieces layer beautifully over simple slip dresses — a very wearable way to get that DVN maximalism into everyday dressing.
DVN shoes are an incredible entry point if the clothing price point is beyond reach right now. A pair of embellished flats or printed loafers transform the most basic outfit.

High Street Alternatives to Dries Van Noten

DVN sits at the luxury end of the market (think £400 blouses, £800+ dresses) so it's worth knowing which brands capture that same artistic, print-led, considered aesthetic at a fraction of the price:

Anthropologie — If any high street brand channels DVN energy, it's Anthropologie. Eclectic prints, interesting textures, a slightly bohemian intelligence to the edit. Great for dresses and blouses especially.
Boden — Consistently excellent on print and pattern, with a quality of cloth that punches well above the price point. Their shirt dresses and printed trousers genuinely rival the DVN aesthetic at a fraction of the cost.
Mint Velvet — Relaxed, grown-up dressing with a flair for interesting colour combinations and easy silhouettes. The knitwear and midi dresses are particularly strong.
Whistles — Elegant and understated with a real confidence in cut. Their printed pieces and tailoring carry a quiet sophistication that DVN fans will appreciate.
Jigsaw — A longstanding favourite for exactly this kind of considered, artistic dressing. Jigsaw's print-mixing and colour sensibility is genuinely impressive for the price.
Phase Eight — Particularly brilliant for the kind of occasion dressing that DVN does so well. Their embellished and printed dresses are excellent quality and beautifully constructed.
claudie pierlot — The French brand does that artful, slightly offbeat femininity very well. Prints are thoughtful, silhouettes are interesting, and the quality is consistently good.
Urban Outfitters — For the younger, more experimental DVN aesthetic — the bold prints, the quirky separates, the unexpected colour clashes — UO consistently delivers at an accessible price point.

Premium & Luxury Alternatives

Reiss — For those who want DVN-level polish in tailoring and structured pieces without the designer price tag. Excellent blazers and trousers with a clean, confident edge.
Max Mara — For the more refined, tailored end of the DVN wardrobe. Max Mara's quality of cloth and cut is exceptional, and the brand shares DVN's commitment to pieces that last forever.
Erdem — The closest true luxury alternative in terms of aesthetic. Erdem's printed florals and considered tailoring sit in exactly the same emotional space as DVN — romantic, intellectual, completely distinctive.

Two Independent Brands Worth Discovering

Hayley Menzies — A London-based British designer who does extraordinary knitwear and jacquard pieces packed with colour and personality. If you love the DVN maximalist-print energy but want something truly independent and British, Hayley Menzies is a brilliant discovery. Stocked at Liberty and MATCHESFASHION.
Borgo de Nor — Another London independent, founded by designer Anna de Helphand. Exquisite prints, impeccable cut, and a bold feminine sensibility that sits right in the DVN orbit — but at a slightly more approachable luxury price point. Genuinely one of Britain's most underrated independent labels.

Never Get DVN Sizing Wrong Again — Use Tellar

Italian sizing, inconsistent shoes, and seasonal variations in cut: Dries Van Noten is not the easiest brand to size for online. That's exactly the problem Tellar was built to solve.

Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool — matching your exact body measurements to 1,500+ brands instantly, including Dries Van Noten. No more guessing, no more expensive returns.

Measure once — bust, waist, hips, or your existing size in a brand you know well.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise DVN size in seconds — IT sizing decoded for you automatically.
Always free — no downloads, no subscription, works instantly in your browser.

And while you're there, explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of 5,000+ honest, unsponsored fashion articles from our in-house stylists. No ads. No paid partnerships. Just genuinely good fashion advice, completely free.

More reading from the Tellar Fashion Hub:

The Ultimate Clothing Sizing Guide — the complete guide to sizing systems, fit, and how to measure yourself properly.
Jeans Trends 2026 — the cuts, washes and styles worth buying right now.
The Ultimate Guide to Dresses & Best Buys — every dress style, every body shape, every budget covered.
The Ultimate Guide to Jackets & Best Buys — from blazers to leather jackets, find the right cut for you.