What Is Sizing Like at Marella?

By Ella Blake — Fashion Stylist | Tellar Fashion Hub — Always honest, unbiased & unsponsored

Marella runs true to size but with a relaxed, generous cut — so if you're between sizes, sizing down will nearly always give you a smarter, more polished result. As an Italian brand under the Max Mara Group umbrella, Marella uses European sizing, and understanding how that translates to UK sizing is the first step to getting it right every time.

I've had something of a love affair with Marella for years — ever since I spotted one of their camel-coloured wool blazers on a woman at a work event and had to stop myself from asking where she got it mid-sentence. It turned out to be Marella, I bought the same blazer a week later in a 42, and it became the most-reached-for piece in my wardrobe for about three winters in a row. What I've learned since is that the brand has a very consistent sizing logic — once you understand it, shopping there becomes genuinely effortless.

Marella Size Guide: Italian to UK Conversion

Marella uses Italian (EU) sizing throughout its range. Here's the full conversion breakdown to help you shop with confidence:

Marella (IT/EU)UK SizeUS SizeBust (cm)Waist (cm)Hips (cm)366–82–480–8460–6486–90388–104–684–8864–6890–944010–126–888–9268–7294–984212–148–1092–9672–7698–1024414–1610–1296–10076–80102–1064616–1812–14100–10480–84106–110

As a rule of thumb: add 4 to the Italian size to get the equivalent EU size — they're the same thing. And subtract roughly 6 from the Italian size number to land on your approximate UK size.

Jackets & Blazers: The Brand's Strongest Suit

This is where Marella truly shines, and where the sizing conversation gets interesting. Their tailoring — blazers, structured jackets, longline coats — is built with the classic Italian approach to ease: there's room to breathe, but the shoulder line is precise. I'd always recommend going true to size here, fitting to your shoulders above everything else, because that's the element you simply can't alter easily. If the jacket sits well on your shoulders, any extra room through the body is a quick tailor's job.

One note on their more relaxed, unstructured blazers (they do a brilliant soft-shoulder style most seasons): these run particularly generously. A UK 12 should comfortably try the IT 40 and consider whether the IT 38 might give a cleaner line. It comes down to how you want to wear it.

Knitwear: Relaxed Is the Point

Marella's knitwear is exactly what you want from an Italian brand — beautiful yarns, excellent drape, and a relaxed silhouette that feels considered rather than baggy. The pieces are intentionally voluminous, so don't panic when it arrives looking large on the hanger. On the body, the proportions work. That said, if you're petite or have a smaller frame, I'd suggest sizing down — a lot of their knitwear can overwhelm a finer-boned figure if you go too big.

Trousers: Check the Waist First

Their trouser range is consistently popular and for good reason — clean cuts, quality fabrics, flattering proportions. The waistbands run true to the size guide, maybe slightly generous. If you're a UK 12 with a proportionally smaller waist, go to a UK 10 equivalent (IT 38) and don't look back. The wide-leg and tailored straight styles in particular reward a slightly more fitted waist for the cleanest silhouette.

Dresses & Occasionwear

Marella does a wonderful line in shift dresses, wrap styles, and relaxed occasion pieces — the kind of things you wear to a smart lunch or a work event and feel genuinely polished without looking like you've tried too hard. These tend to follow the size guide closely. Go true to size unless the style has structured panels or boning (rare for Marella — they're very much a fluid-fabric brand), in which case measure your bust carefully and err on the side of fitting that measurement.

My Quick Sizing Cheat Sheet

Blazers & tailored jackets: true to size — fit to the shoulder
Unstructured/soft blazers: consider sizing down one for a cleaner line
Knitwear: size down if petite or fine-framed; true to size otherwise
Trousers: true to size, but check waist measurement if you carry weight differently
Dresses: true to size; fit to bust on structured styles
Between sizes? Size down — the cuts have enough ease that you won't feel restricted

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Brands With a Similar Vibe — At Every Budget

Marella occupies a brilliant sweet spot: elevated enough to feel special, wearable enough for everyday life, and Italian enough to always look a little more expensive than it is. If you love the brand, here's where else I'd look.

High Street Alternatives

Phase Eight — the closest spiritual match on the British high street. Beautiful fabrics, relaxed-elegant silhouettes, and a strong occasion offering. Sizing is consistent and their blazers and dresses are genuinely excellent quality for the price.
Hobbs — a stalwart of the polished British wardrobe. Their tailoring is particularly strong, and if you love Marella's structured pieces, Hobbs delivers similar energy at a lower price point. Sizing runs true.
Mint Velvet — brilliant for easy, grown-up dressing with a relaxed luxe feel. Their knitwear and occasion pieces have a very similar customer in mind to Marella, and the quality is impressive for the price.
LK Bennett — for the occasion-focused pieces. When Marella is sold out in your size, LK Bennett is where I send clients for a similar level of polish. Their dresses and heels are iconic for a reason.
Ted Baker — Italian-influenced, detail-oriented, and consistently strong on feminine occasion dressing. Their sizing runs slightly small so check the guide, but the quality is there.
The White Company — if you gravitate to Marella's quieter, more muted pieces, The White Company is your answer for a relaxed, neutral capsule wardrobe. Their knitwear and linen separates are exceptional.
Boden — brilliant for anyone who loves Marella's more playful prints and easy separates. Better quality than you might expect, and their sizing is very consistent — easy to shop online.

Premium Alternatives

Max Mara Weekend — practically a sibling brand, being under the same group. More relaxed than the main Max Mara line, and consistently excellent. If you love Marella, Max Mara Weekend is a natural next step up.
Claudie Pierlot — a French contemporary brand with a similarly polished but wearable approach. Beautiful fabrics and the kind of pieces that feel like a treat without requiring a second mortgage.

Independent & Left-Field Picks

Kitri — an independent London brand that punches way above its weight. Known for beautifully made occasionwear and elegant separates at a genuinely fair price. The prints and tailoring are exceptional, and they size inclusively up to a UK 26. A brilliant find if you don't already know them.
Damson Madder — a small British independent label with a devoted following for a reason. They make considered, beautifully printed dresses and easy separates that have a similar relaxed elegance to Marella, but with a more indie, London-cool edge. Sizing is consistent and they're very transparent about fit on their website.

Is Marella Worth Shopping?

Absolutely — and I say that as someone who has genuinely recommended this brand to clients at every stage of their wardrobe journey. What Marella does brilliantly is bridge the gap between high street and luxury: the fabrics feel considered, the silhouettes are flattering, and the Italian design sensibility gives everything a slightly elevated quality that's hard to put your finger on but very easy to feel when you're wearing it.

The Italian sizing will trip you up once if you're not prepared for it — but use the conversion table above, take your measurements, and you'll be absolutely fine. Once you've nailed your size, it stays consistent across the range, which makes repeat shopping a dream.