What is sizing like at Nina Kendosa?

Nina Kendosa is built almost entirely around a "one size fits all" concept, so most pieces are cut deliberately loose, relaxed and roomy rather than fitted to a numbered size. If you're used to picking an 8, 12 or 16 off a rail, this label works differently — and once you understand the thinking behind it, it's a brand a huge range of body shapes can wear beautifully. Here's exactly how the sizing behaves and how to make it work for you.

So what does "one size" actually mean here?

Nina Kendosa is a Paris-based label, made in Italy, known for what's often called the lagenlook — that artful, layered, slightly oversized look built on natural fabrics like linen, cotton, viscose and silk. The brand itself describes its clothes as loose and relaxed, designed to suit any kind of body. In practice, that means:

Most pieces come in one generous size — designed to drape and skim rather than cling.
Some styles are sold as S/M/L (you'll see this more on knitwear, jackets and a few dresses), but even these run relaxed and forgiving.
The fit is about proportion, not measurement. You're not chasing your "true size" — you're choosing how much volume you want.

The honest upshot: a true UK 8 and a true UK 16 can often wear the very same one-size linen tunic, and both can look intentional. That's the whole point of the design. What changes is the silhouette it creates on each person, not whether it fits.

Who the relaxed fit flatters most

As a stylist, I'd put it like this — Nina Kendosa is a dream for anyone who wants comfort with a bit of drama:

Sizes UK 12–20: the easy, skimming cut is genuinely brilliant. Volume that floats past the waist and hip is endlessly flattering.
Petite frames (5'4" and under): proceed with a little care. One-size linen can swamp you, so look for shorter tunics and lean on a defined shoe or rolled sleeve to keep proportion.
Anyone between sizes or fluctuating: this is the brand's superpower. Nothing here is going to feel tight on a bloated day.

My honest take (and a fail I'll admit to)

I'll be straight with you, because I learned this the hard way. The first lagenlook linen dress I ever bought, years ago, I wore exactly as it came — one big rectangle of beautiful fabric — and a friend gently asked if I was "feeling poorly." Brutal, but fair. The lesson stuck: volume needs an anchor.

So when you buy Nina Kendosa, don't just throw it on and hope. The pieces sing when you give them one point of structure:

Anchor the volume — a slim belt, a half-tuck, or pushed-up sleeves stops it reading as "shapeless."
Balance loose with lean — billowy linen top, straighter trouser; voluminous dress, neat ankle boot.
Let the fabric do the talking — these are quiet, textural clothes, so keep accessories simple and let the linen crease as it wants to. That's the look, not a flaw.

My favourite styling win with this kind of piece: a one-size linen tunic over straight-leg jeans with leather sandals and a single chunky cuff. Three minutes, zero effort, looks like you tried for an hour.

Where to shop for the same relaxed, linen-led look

If you love the Nina Kendosa aesthetic but want a sizing system you can pin down — or simply more choice — here's where I'd send clients, grouped by budget.

High street

Seasalt Cornwall — natural fabrics and relaxed coastal cuts; arguably the closest high-street match in spirit.
Hush — easy linen, drapey dresses and effortless layering pieces that are made to be thrown on.
White Stuff — characterful prints and soft, forgiving shapes with the same gentle, lived-in feel.
Fat Face — dependable casual linen and jersey, cut for real-life comfort.
Monsoon — the place for boho, floaty occasion pieces when you want a bit more romance.
Part Two — Danish, pared-back and relaxed; lovely minimalist linen separates.
Uniqlo — unbeatable value on premium linen basics that layer perfectly under everything.
Mango — a consistently strong linen line each summer with a slightly more polished edge.

Premium

Toast — the gold standard for artisanal, relaxed linen with that considered, quiet-luxury feel.
Sezane — French and effortlessly Parisian, which sits right alongside Nina Kendosa's own DNA.
Brora — beautiful Scottish knitwear and relaxed pieces in natural fibres that age gracefully.
Baukjen — sustainable, contemporary and relaxed, with cleverly cut easy-wear staples.

Luxury / designer

By Malene Birger — relaxed Scandi luxe with sculptural volume done expensively well.
Toteme — minimalist, fluid and quietly luxurious; the grown-up version of this whole look.
Max Mara — soft, generous tailoring and exquisite natural fabrics, especially the Weekend line.

Two left-field independents worth knowing

Oska — a German lagenlook specialist and possibly the truest spiritual sibling to Nina Kendosa; architectural, layered and built on natural fibres.
Sahara London — a British independent making textural, artful, generously cut pieces that the lagenlook crowd quietly obsess over.

Get your exact size in any brand first — that's where Tellar comes in

Here's the frustrating bit about shopping across labels: a relaxed one-size brand like Nina Kendosa is the exception, but most of the brands above all size differently from each other. That's exactly why I built Tellar.

Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool — your body matched exactly to 1,500-plus brands instantly, so you never squint at a size guide again.

Measure once — using your bust, waist, hip, or simply a brand size you already own.
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There's also the Tellar Fashion Hub: a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest, unbiased, independent and always free — style advice, top picks and the best brands for every query.

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