Altuzarra: French Sizing, Silk and Cashmere Care, and Final-Sale Rules

Altuzarra is the New York womenswear label founded by Joseph Altuzarra, sold directly through altuzarra.com alongside department stores. The house signature is sharp tailoring, fluid dresses, printed silk and richly coloured knitwear, priced as designer ready-to-wear. An Altuzarra order goes well when the size is right first time, because returning a designer piece across borders is slow and sometimes costly.

This guide covers the three things that decide that: reading the Altuzarra size chart, understanding the fabrics you are paying for, and knowing which pieces can and cannot come back.

Altuzarra sizing is not US sizing

Altuzarra has typically listed sizes on a French or European scale — numbers in the 34 to 46 range rather than 0 to 12 — with a conversion chart on each product page. Do not guess from the number; read the chart against your measurements.

Tailoring is cut close through the shoulder and waist. If you sit between two sizes on an Altuzarra blazer, most buyers are better in the larger and having the waist taken in, because shoulders cannot be let out.

Knitwear and jersey dresses have more give. Silk shirtdresses do not stretch at all, so the bust measurement on the chart is the one that matters.

Product pages often note how the sample fits the model and her height. Use that against your own height for hem length, particularly on Altuzarra midi and maxi dresses.

Knowing the fabrics

Much of the Altuzarra price is in the cloth. Check the composition line before adding to bag.

Silk — the printed and tie-dye dresses are usually pure silk, sometimes silk blended with a little elastane. Silk creases, marks with water and needs dry cleaning or a very careful cold hand wash.

Cashmere and wool knits — Altuzarra's dip-dye and marled cashmere are a large part of the collection. Cashmere pills at first wear and settles; store it folded, never hung.

Wool and stretch-wool tailoring — a small elastane content is normal and keeps trousers from bagging at the knee. Fully dry-clean only.

If you want something to wear hard and wash at home, buy the cotton poplin or denim pieces rather than the silk.

Full price, sale and final sale

Altuzarra runs the rhythm of designer retail: new season at full price, a mid-season promotion, then an end-of-season sale that deepens in stages.

Items marked final sale on altuzarra.com are generally not returnable or exchangeable. That is the trade for the deepest markdowns. Order final sale only when you are sure of the size.

Some pieces are offered as pre-order, shipping weeks after payment. The estimated date is an estimate; if you need a dress for an event, buy something in stock.

Delivery, duties and returns

Altuzarra ships domestically in the US and to many other countries. For international orders, check whether duties are included at checkout or collected on delivery — a designer-price parcel can attract a substantial customs bill if it is not prepaid.

Returns of full-price stock have generally been accepted within a stated window, with the item unworn, tags attached and in original packaging. Check the current return window and whether return shipping is free before ordering two sizes to compare.

Keep the tags on until you have tried the piece indoors. A silk dress with the tag removed is very hard to return.

When Altuzarra prices are lowest

The end-of-season sale — late spring for the spring collection, after the holidays for autumn — is where the biggest reductions sit. Sizes vanish fast in the first week, so watch the pieces you want before the sale starts.

Altuzarra also issues seasonal codes around holidays and friends-and-family events. These usually apply to full-price and sometimes sale stock, but often exclude the newest arrivals and collaborations. Read the terms of each code.

Where the Altuzarra savings are

Start with the 25% code on any full-price order; if it is refused, the item is likely excluded or the event has ended, and the 20% or 15% code is the fallback.

Percentage codes matter more at Altuzarra than most stores because the base prices are high. Fifteen per cent off a coat is a larger sum than most dollar-off codes anywhere else.

Codes usually cannot be stacked on final-sale items. On sale stock the markdown alone is often bigger than a code, so compare the two rather than assuming the code helps.

A welcome or newsletter code is single-use per account. Save it for a full-price piece rather than spending it on a small accessory.

Common questions

Does Altuzarra run true to size?

Tailoring runs fitted through the shoulders and waist; knits are more forgiving. Use the measurement chart on the product page rather than your usual US size.

Can I return Altuzarra sale items?

Items marked final sale generally cannot be returned. Full-price and standard sale items usually can within the stated window — check before buying.

Can I machine wash Altuzarra silk?

No. Dry clean, or at most a cold hand wash with a silk detergent if the care label allows it.

Will I pay import duty on an Altuzarra order?

Possibly, depending on your country and whether duties are prepaid at checkout. Check the shipping page before you order.