What Is Sizing Like at Zadig & Voltaire?

The short answer

Zadig & Voltaire runs small and slim — it’s cut on classic French proportions, so my rule is to size up, particularly in knitwear, leather and anything tailored. If you’re hovering between two sizes, take the larger one and you’ll rarely regret it.

I’ve styled a lot of clients into Z&V over the years and the fit trips people up constantly, because the brand sells a slouchy, model-off-duty look while the actual garments are cut leaner than they appear on the hanger.

The size system: don’t panic over the labels

Z&V uses XS–XL on most pieces, with French numerical equivalents (roughly 34 to 44) printed on the label. A handful of archive and runway styles use T0–T3. Two things worth knowing:

The numbers are French, not UK — a “38” is roughly a UK 10, not a UK 38.
Sizing is consistent across collections, so once you’ve nailed your Z&V size you can reorder with confidence.

That French-sizing guesswork is exactly the headache Tellar was built to kill — more on that below.

How it fits, category by category

The fit genuinely varies depending on what you’re buying, so here’s my honest breakdown:

Cashmere & knitwear — Sold as “relaxed” but cut close. Slim through the body and arms with a slightly cropped length. Size up if you want that proper throw-on slouch. One caveat: the fine-gauge cashmere can relax after washing, so don’t oversize too aggressively.
Leather & biker jackets — Beautifully soft lambskin, cut tailored. True to size on the body but narrow across the shoulders and upper arm — broader shoulders should size up.
Graphic & skull tees — The exception. These run relaxed and boxy, often deliberately oversized. Take your normal size, or even down.
Blazers & tailoring — Slim and sharp, narrow in the sleeve. Size up if you plan to layer a knit underneath.
Silk slips & dresses — Cut lean and bias-skimming. True to size but unforgiving, so size up if you prefer a little ease.

My own Z&V win and fail

A win first: I bought a lambskin biker in my usual size years ago and it’s still the hardest-working thing in my wardrobe — it broke in within a week and goes over absolutely everything. The fail? A cashmere jumper I bought true-to-size, chasing that effortless slouch off the model. In reality it sat borderline cropped and clung in all the wrong places. Lesson learnt: in Z&V knit, I now always go up one.

Quick fit cheat-sheet

Knitwear, jackets, tailoring → size up
Tees → true to size or down
Slips & dresses → true to size, up if you like ease
Always check the shoulder width on outerwear first

Where to shop for the Z&V look (and fit) elsewhere

If you love that rock-luxe-meets-Parisian vibe but want more options, here’s where I actually send clients.

High street

AllSaints — The British answer to Z&V. Leather bikers, washed tees and edgy knits at a fraction of the price.
Mango — Brilliant for of-the-moment Parisian tailoring and leather; the quality punches well above the price tag.
Mint Velvet — Slouchy luxe knits and subtle embellishment for that easy off-duty feel.
Whistles — Contemporary leather, slip dresses and clean knits with a grown-up edge.
Massimo Dutti — Quietly expensive-looking cashmere and leather with a refined French sensibility.
Hush — The home of slouchy, throw-on cashmere and easy luxe basics.
Reiss — Sharp tailoring and premium-feel leather when you want polish with a bit of attitude.

Premium / contemporary

Sandro — Z&V’s closest French sibling; tailored, romantic and rock-edged in equal measure.
Maje — Feminine Parisian pieces with pretty embellishment and genuinely good knitwear.
Ba&sh — Effortless French-girl staples: slip dresses, soft leather and easy knits.

Luxury / designer

Isabel Marant — The designer benchmark for Parisian rock-luxe; slouchy knits and statement jackets.
Saint Laurent — The ultimate rock-chic investment: leather, tailoring and that off-duty glamour.

Two left-field independents I rate

IRO — A French label nailing the exact leather-and-cashmere, gritty-luxe lane Z&V owns.
Anine Bing — Scandi-LA rock-luxe; brilliant tees, blazers and biker jackets with serious staying power.

Never guess a size again — that’s where Tellar comes in

The frustrating bit about a brand like Zadig & Voltaire is the French sizing and the size-up-here, size-down-there guesswork. Tellar.co.uk fixes exactly that.

Tellar is the UK’s leading sizing tool: your body matched precisely to 1,500-plus brands instantly, so you never squint at a size guide again. Honest, unbiased and always free.

Measure once — by bust, waist and hip, or simply enter a brand size you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your exact size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket & more.
Completely free and runs in your browser — no downloads needed.

Start here: https://tellar.co.uk/

The Tellar Fashion Hub

There’s also the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. Always free. Style advice, top picks and the best brands, all in one place.

A few of my favourites to read next:

Stop guessing your Zadig & Voltaire size

Match your body to 1,500+ brands in seconds — free, unbiased and no downloads. Find your exact fit before you buy.

Find My Size on Tellar →

Ella Blake, Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder, Tellar