What is Sizing Like at Merci Paris?

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

Merci Paris uses French and EU sizing throughout — which means, as a rule, you should size up one from your usual UK size. A UK 10 will typically need to reach for a FR 40 rather than FR 38, and anyone who carries any fullness across the bust, hip or thigh will want to go up without hesitation. French sizing is notoriously precise, and Merci is no exception — but once you understand the system, shopping it becomes genuinely joyful.

I first stumbled across Merci properly on a trip to Paris a few years ago, slightly giddy from an afternoon spent wandering Le Marais. At 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, the store is impossible to miss — there's a vintage red Fiat 500 parked permanently outside, which frankly tells you everything you need to know about its personality. It's a concept store in the truest sense: fashion, homeware, art books, linen, jewellery, vintage pieces, and even a café, all curated with that effortless French taste that makes you want to throw out everything you own and start again. And here's what really sets it apart — every purchase contributes to a charitable endowment fund. Shopping that actually does something. I was smitten immediately.

But back to the question you actually came here for: sizing. Because beautiful as Merci's rails are, they'll do you no good if you end up in something that doesn't fit.

Understanding Merci's Size System

Merci is a multi-brand concept store, which means the clothing on its rails comes from a curated mix of independent French designers, established Parisian houses, and international names — all presented together in one beautifully edited space. Because of this, you'll encounter different brand sizing conventions depending on which piece you're picking up. However, the store operates predominantly on French numerical sizing, which is the standard across most of the labels it stocks. Here's the conversion you need:

How French Sizing Differs From UK Sizing — and Why It Matters at Merci

This is the bit that catches so many British women out, and I'll be honest — it caught me out too, years ago, with a beautiful silk blouse from a Parisian boutique that I was absolutely convinced was a UK 10. It wasn't. It was a very optimistic FR 38, and it spent two years hanging unworn in my wardrobe as a reminder of my hubris.

French clothing is cut with a narrower silhouette in mind — particularly through the shoulders, chest and hip. The cuts assume less ease (the extra room built into a garment for comfort and movement) than British and American sizing tends to allow. This isn't a flaw — it's a design philosophy. The French approach is about precision and tailoring close to the body, which is why those clothes photograph so beautifully and drape in that infuriating, enviable way. But it does mean that your UK size label is essentially irrelevant when you walk into Merci. Go by measurements, not memory.

Sizing by Category at Merci

Dresses and skirts: Size up one from your UK size. Merci carries a lot of beautifully cut midi and maxi lengths — the waist and hip measurements are where French sizing feels most different from UK equivalents, so don't be tempted to squeeze into your usual size if it feels snug anywhere through the middle.
Tops and blouses: Again, size up. If you have a fuller bust or broader shoulders, this is especially important — French blouse cuts in particular can feel very narrow across the upper body. Go up one, or use your bust measurement as your guide rather than your UK size number.
Trousers and jeans: The leg cut at most French labels Merci stocks tends to be straight to slim, with less room through the thigh than many UK shoppers are used to. Size up and don't look back. For denim specifically, go by your waist measurement in centimetres rather than your typical UK jeans size.
Knitwear and casual pieces: Slightly more lenient — relaxed silhouettes mean the sizing gap between French and UK feels less dramatic here. You may be able to stay at your equivalent French size rather than sizing up, but check the shoulders in particular.
Coats and outerwear: Merci consistently has beautiful, grown-up outerwear in its seasonal edits. Size up here without question — you need to layer underneath, and a coat that's right across the shoulders but tight on a jumper is no use to anyone in a British winter.

Shopping Merci From the UK

If you're buying online rather than in-store, Merci ships internationally through its website (merci-merci.com). The product pages carry individual size information, and my honest advice is to always go to the measurements — not the size label — before adding to your basket. Measure your bust, waist and hips in centimetres first, then compare directly with the garment measurements listed. It takes two minutes and it will save you the faff of international returns.

That said, if you ever get the chance to go in person — go. The store is genuinely one of the best shopping experiences in Europe. Three floors, impeccably curated, with a wonderful used bookshop in the basement and an organic café for when you need a break from coveting things. I always leave with at least one thing I didn't plan to buy and zero regrets about it.

Size Inclusivity at Merci

This is where I need to be straight with you: like many Parisian concept stores, Merci's sizing range tends to be on the narrower side. Most of the clothing available tops out around FR 44 (UK 16), and in practice a significant proportion of the range stops at FR 42 (UK 14). If you are a UK 16 or above, you may find the womenswear range limited — the homeware, jewellery, scarves and accessories are absolutely worth exploring, but the RTW (ready-to-wear) selection will be more restricted. This is an industry-wide issue with French fashion, and I say it without judgement — it's something the sector as a whole needs to address — but it's worth knowing before you make the trip.

Brands to Explore if You Love the Merci Aesthetic

Merci's appeal is that very specific kind of elevated, considered Parisian cool — quality fabrics, thoughtful cuts, and a sense that everything in the store was chosen with real intention rather than trend-chasing. If you want to capture that energy across different budgets, here's where I'd point you:

High Street Picks

Anthropologie — the most curated of the high street options, with a similar love for independent designers and considered, eclectic pieces. A natural fit for the Merci customer who wants more accessible price points.
Cos — clean, architectural, uncluttered. It shares Merci's instinct for simplicity done well, and the quality-to-price ratio is genuinely excellent.
Hush — relaxed, wearable, beautifully made basics with real personality. A lovely British counterpart to the effortless Parisian dressing Merci does so well.
Part Two — a Scandinavian label with a strong identity around natural fabrics and understated style. Shares Merci's palette of muted, earthy tones and considered silhouettes.
Reiss — for the tailoring and outerwear element of the Merci wardrobe. Clean, quality pieces with real longevity, sized more generously for UK shoppers.
All Saints — when Merci leans into its edgier, more downtown-Parisian mood, All Saints captures something of that spirit — particularly for leather, knitwear and casual separates.
Whistles — dependable, grown-up, and genuinely good quality. For days when you want that Merci sensibility but need something that sizes more predictably for a British body.

Premium & Designer

Isabel Marant — one of the designers whose pieces actually appear in Merci. The boho-meets-Parisian-cool aesthetic is quintessential, and the quality is superb. Her Étoile diffusion line brings the price point down considerably.
A.P.C. — a natural companion brand. Rigorous, considered, superbly made. The denim in particular is worth every penny, and the sizing philosophy is similarly French.

Independent & Left-Field Picks

Maison Château Rouge — a Paris-based label rooted in African heritage and colour, with an ethos of craft and community that mirrors Merci's charitable spirit beautifully. Vibrant, joyful, and genuinely different.
Apiece Apart — a New York independent with deeply Parisian instincts: relaxed tailoring, natural fabrics, an unfussy confidence. Not widely known in the UK yet, which makes it all the more satisfying to discover.

Shopping French Sizing? Let Tellar Take the Guesswork Out

French sizing is genuinely one of the trickiest systems to navigate as a UK shopper — and Merci, stocking pieces from multiple Parisian labels, adds another layer of complexity. Tellar is the UK's leading clothing size tool: input your measurements once and get your precise size across 1,500+ brands instantly. No more guessing, no more returns.

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The Tellar Fashion Hub is also home to a growing library of honest, unsponsored posts covering every brand, sizing question and style dilemma you can think of. Real advice, no brand deals, completely free.

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