What is Sizing Like at Qasimi?

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

Qasimi uses standard UK/EU sizing but cuts slim, architectural and with very little ease — if you're between sizes, always go up, and if you have any width through the shoulders or back, size up without hesitation. This is a brand that rewards precision in fit.

I'll be upfront: Qasimi is not a brand that most people stumble across. It's the kind of label you discover when you've grown out of wanting things that shout, and started craving clothes with a genuine point of view. I first came across it while pulling pieces for an editorial shoot — stark, beautifully constructed separates in that very particular register of quiet luxury that sits somewhere between architectural and poetic. It's a London-born label with a deeply personal story behind it, and that comes through in every garment. But it's also a brand where fit matters enormously — and where going in blind on sizing is a risk you really don't want to take.

The Brand Behind the Name

Qasimi was founded in London by the late Khalid Al Qasimi, a designer of Emirati heritage who studied at Central Saint Martins and built a label rooted in the intersection of Middle Eastern culture and European tailoring precision. After his passing in 2019, the house has continued under the stewardship of his sister Hessa Al Qasimi, preserving the founding vision with remarkable sensitivity.

The aesthetic is consistently spare and considered — think elongated silhouettes, architectural drape, restrained colour palettes anchored in ivory, black, camel and rich earth tones, and construction details that reward close inspection. There's nothing casual or throwaway about anything Qasimi makes. Each piece is designed to be worn with intention, and that philosophy extends to the fit: these clothes are cut for a precise, lean silhouette. They don't accommodate excess fabric, and they don't offer forgiveness for an incorrect size.

Qasimi Size Guide: UK to EU Conversion

Qasimi operates on standard UK sizing, with corresponding EU equivalents. The range typically runs from a UK 6 to a UK 14, reflecting the brand's position as a small-batch luxury label rather than a mass-market operation. Stock can be limited — particularly at the upper end of the size range — so knowing your size before a piece sells out is especially important here.

UK SizeEU SizeUS SizeBust (cm)Waist (cm)Hips (cm)6342806185836484658910386886993124089273971442109677101

Because Qasimi is sold primarily through luxury multi-brand retailers — Matches, Dover Street Market, select independents — always cross-reference the specific garment measurements listed on the product page rather than relying solely on the size label. The variance between a structured jacket and a draped silk dress within the same collection can be significant.

How Qasimi Fits by Garment Type

Understanding the house's signature cuts will help you buy confidently. The range is not enormous, but each category has its own fit logic:

Tailoring and structured jackets: This is where Qasimi's construction credentials are most visible — and where the fit is most unforgiving. The jackets are cut narrow through the shoulder and close across the back. If you carry any width through the upper body, size up by one without deliberation. A well-fitted Qasimi jacket is one of the most striking things you can put on; one that pulls across the back entirely undoes the effect.
Trousers: Cut with a high, clean waist and a long, lean leg — very much the Qasimi signature. They sit precisely on the natural waist with minimal ease. If you are fuller through the hip or seat, size up. The leg length tends to run long, which is deliberate — the intended silhouette is that sweeping, floor-grazing line. A good tailor can crop if needed, but the proportions are worth preserving if you can.
Dresses and draped styles: Where the brand allows itself slightly more give. Fluid, draped styles in silk or viscose have more room to accommodate the body than the tailoring does, and most women find their true UK size works well here. That said, if you're fuller through the bust, check the garment measurements — there is no stretch in these fabrics.
Outerwear and coats: Cut oversized by design, which means your true size or even a size down can work depending on how minimal you want the silhouette. The volume here is intentional — it's part of the aesthetic — so don't panic and size down out of habit. Try your usual size first.
Knitwear: More relaxed and forgiving than the tailoring. True to size, and the loser cuts mean even those between sizes will be comfortable in their standard UK size.

How to Wear Qasimi — A Stylist's Perspective

The biggest mistake I see people make with Qasimi — and with architectural fashion more broadly — is over-styling it. These clothes don't need help. A Qasimi trouser and a beautifully cut shirt, worn with a pointed mule and nothing fussy, is a completely complete look. Add a sculptural minimal bag and you're done. The impulse to layer on jewellery or a statement bag actively fights the garment. Let the construction speak.

Colour is something Qasimi handles brilliantly. Their palette — those deep tobacco browns, warm off-whites, occasional flashes of burnt orange or dusty rose — is genuinely sophisticated and extremely easy to build a capsule around. If you're investing in one piece, I'd lean towards the tailoring or the trousers. They're the most wearable and the most uniquely Qasimi in their identity.

One thing worth knowing: because Qasimi runs in small quantities and sells out quickly, if you find your size in a piece you love, don't sit on it. This is not a brand that restocks.

If You Love Qasimi, You'll Also Love These…

Qasimi sits at the intersection of London cool and luxury craft. Here's where to look at every price point for a similar sensibility:

🛍️ HIGH STREET PICKS

Cos — The most natural high street translation of the Qasimi aesthetic. Architectural silhouettes, restrained palettes, and a commitment to clean construction that the rest of the high street doesn't really attempt. Sizing runs European and on the slimmer side — size up if you're between sizes, just as you would with Qasimi.
Massimo Dutti — For the tailoring and structured separates end of the Qasimi customer's wardrobe. Beautifully cut at a very accessible price point, with a palette that aligns perfectly. Sizing is EU-based and tends to run slim in tailoring — size up by one in jackets and trousers.
Anthropologie — A more textural, expressive take on considered dressing. Where Qasimi is pared back, Anthropologie is more layered in its storytelling — but both brands attract a customer who wants clothes with genuine character rather than trend-chasing fast fashion.
French Connection — Particularly strong for the clean, minimal trouser and tailoring pieces that align with Qasimi's workwear-adjacent sensibility. Good quality for the price, and sizing is reliable UK standard throughout.
Jigsaw — One of the best British high street brands for understated, quality-focused dressing. Their tailoring and separates are genuinely excellent and their sizing is consistent. A natural home for the Qasimi customer on a more accessible budget.
Whistles — Clean, grown-up, thoughtfully designed. Their trouser and jacket offering in particular shares Qasimi's commitment to a proper silhouette. Sizing is true to UK standard — reliable and consistent across the range.
Banana Republic — Underrated for sharp, investment-minded tailoring at a mid-market price. Their tailored trousers and structured blazers hit a very similar note to the more wearable end of the Qasimi range. US-influenced sizing — can run slightly generous, so check measurements.

✨ PREMIUM STEP-UP

Reiss — For impeccably cut tailoring and separates that share Qasimi's architectural restraint, at a price point well below the luxury tier. Their tailoring in particular is reliably excellent. Sizing runs slightly slim in structured pieces — size up by one in jackets.
Me&Em — The intelligent British brand for investment-piece dressing. Less avant-garde than Qasimi but sharing the same sense that clothes should be considered and lasting rather than seasonal and throwaway. Sizing is true to UK and notably consistent.
Hugo Boss — Particularly strong for the tailoring-focused customer. Their womenswear tailoring line is precise, well-constructed, and carries that same clean European confidence. Sizing follows EU conventions and tends to run slim in structured pieces — size up in tailoring.

🌟 LUXURY / DESIGNER ALTERNATIVES

The Row — The obvious comparison point for anyone who loves Qasimi. Both brands share a commitment to extreme restraint, impeccable construction, and the idea that genuine luxury is found in what you take away rather than what you add. The Row runs slim and true to US sizing — check carefully against measurements.
Lemaire — The Parisian house that perhaps best captures Qasimi's combination of architectural thinking and wearable elegance. Relaxed but precise, conceptual but liveable. Sizing follows French EU conventions and tends to run true to size with generous ease built into the drape.

🌿 INDEPENDENT PICKS WORTH KNOWING

Ahluwalia — A London-based independent founded by Priya Ahluwalia, celebrated for its thoughtful blend of South Asian and West African heritage, impeccable craft, and a commitment to sustainability that never feels token. If Qasimi's cultural layering and London-with-a-global-perspective appeal to you, Ahluwalia is essential. Sizing is UK standard with a relaxed, generous cut — true to size throughout.
Completedworks — Primarily known for their extraordinary sculptural jewellery, but their ready-to-wear has the same quietly radical, architecturally-minded sensibility that Qasimi embodies so well. If you're a Qasimi customer building a full look, Completedworks is exactly where your jewellery should come from. A genuinely brilliant London independent.

Investing in Qasimi? Make Sure the Size is Exactly Right

With a brand as precise and limited-run as Qasimi, getting the sizing wrong isn't just frustrating — it can mean missing a piece entirely. That's exactly why Tellar.co.uk exists.

Tellar is the UK's leading clothing sizing tool. Enter your measurements once and it instantly matches you to your correct size across 1,500+ brands — from Qasimi and Lemaire to Cos, Reiss and everything in between. No guesswork, no expensive mistakes.

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