What Is Sizing Like at Fusalp?

Fusalp runs small and fitted, so most women are best taking their usual size for a sleek, body-skimming look, or going up one size if they want room to layer or a more relaxed feel. Fusalp (pronounced "Foo-zalp") is a French ski-fashion house founded in Annecy back in 1952, and that haute-couture, tailored-on-the-body heritage is exactly why the cut feels snugger than the high street activewear you might be used to. If you know your sizing here, you'll buy with total confidence — so let me talk you through it properly.

The short answer on Fusalp fit

I've fitted a lot of clients into ski and performance pieces over the years, and Fusalp is one of the most consistently "European tailored" labels I work with. It's designed to flatter a silhouette, not to swamp it. Here's what you actually need to know:

It runs slightly small. The brand itself describes most styles as fitted and even recommends sizing up on certain pieces for a regular fit.
It uses French sizing. A French 38 is roughly a UK 10, a 40 is a UK 12, a 42 a UK 14, and so on — the number on the label is not your UK dress size.
The fabric has give. Most ski trousers and jackets are made in stretch bonded softshell, so there's real flex even when the cut looks tiny on the hanger.
It's built to be close. The whole point of the silhouette is a streamlined, leg-lengthening line — this isn't a brand to size up two in.

How the jackets fit

The jackets are where Fusalp's tailoring really shows. They're cut with a proper European fit — nipped through the waist, neat across the shoulder, designed to look as good off the slope as on it. My honest advice:

Take your usual size if you want that sharp, fitted-and-glamorous look the brand is famous for.
Size up one if you're between sizes, plan to wear chunky mid-layers underneath, or simply prefer a bit of breathing room.
Mind the sleeve length — like a lot of technical jackets, the arms are cut slightly long to suit a skiing stance, so don't panic if they feel generous at the cuff.

How the trousers and ski pants fit

The iconic Fusalp ski trousers — the Diana and Tipi styles in particular — are deliberately tight to elongate the leg. They are gorgeous, but they are not forgiving if you order optimistically. A little story against myself: years ago I bought a pair of slim French ski trousers in my "aspirational" size for a trip to the Alps and spent the entire week unable to bend at the knee on a chairlift with any dignity. Lesson learned. For Fusalp:

Order true to size for that sprayed-on, streamlined fit.
Go up one for a more comfortable, forgiving line — especially over the hip and thigh.
Trust the stretch; the softshell moulds with wear, so they rarely need breaking in the way a rigid trouser would.

My styling tips for getting Fusalp right

Buy the size that fits your biggest measurement and let the stretch handle the rest — for most women that's the hip. Because the cut is so neat, a half-tucked merino base layer reads far more elegant than bulk underneath. And if you're buying purely for après or city wear rather than actual skiing, you can absolutely take your fitted size and enjoy the silhouette; you don't need the layering allowance. One more thing worth knowing: Fusalp produces in limited runs, so if your size is in stock, don't dither — it won't always come back.

Where else to shop for the same sleek, sporty-luxe look

If you love the Fusalp aesthetic but want options across different budgets, here's where I'd send my clients.

High street

Sweaty Betty — the closest high-street match for fitted, flattering technical pieces; their ski edit and base layers are excellent.
Lululemon — brilliant for sculpting leggings and sleek layers to wear under a fitted shell.
Alo Yoga — for that polished, après-luxe athleisure look off the slope.
The North Face — when you want genuine technical performance with a cleaner, fashion-led silhouette.
Superdry — their snow range gives you proper ski function at a far gentler price.
Uniqlo — unbeatable HEATTECH base layers to slim down what you wear underneath.
Gymshark — for streamlined, second-skin separates that mirror Fusalp's body-conscious cut.
Seasalt Cornwall — softer, cosier outerwear if you want the alpine feel without the figure-hugging line.

Premium

Totême — Scandi minimalism with the same clean, elongated lines for off-slope dressing.
Ganni — playful, modern pieces that sit beautifully alongside a sporty-luxe wardrobe.
By Malene Birger — elevated, sculptural separates for the chalet-to-dinner moment.
Sandro — French contemporary tailoring that shares Fusalp's neat, refined attitude.

Luxury / designer

Max Mara — for elegant, cocooning outerwear (the Cube range) that carries you from piste-side to city.
Ralph Lauren — polished, heritage-luxe layering with a sporty edge that complements ski dressing perfectly.

Two independents worth knowing

Perfect Moment — a cult ski-luxe label with retro-glamour prints and a similarly fitted, fashion-forward cut.
Halfdays — a women-founded independent making genuinely chic, flattering ski wear that flies under the radar.

Stop guessing your size — let Tellar do it

Fusalp's French sizing is exactly the kind of thing that trips people up, which is precisely why I built Tellar. It's the UK's leading sizing tool: match your body once and we'll instantly tell you your exact size across 1,500+ brands — so you never squint at a confusing size guide again.

Measure once, using your bust, waist and hip, or simply your size in a brand you already know.
Use our Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

And when you want more honest, stylist-written advice, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a free library covering every fashion query going — honest, unbiased, independent and always free. Start with these:

Know your Fusalp size before you buy.

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Find My Size at Fusalp →

Written by Ella Blake — Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder, Tellar.