Leo Lin vs Zimmermann: Price, Sizing and Which to Buy

Leo Lin and Zimmermann are both Sydney labels built on print and romance, and they suit different occasions. Zimmermann is the luxury house: it costs about 1.5 times as much at Coveti and dresses the beach, the garden and the resort. Leo Lin is the structured occasion label, with exclusive prints and hand-sewn appliqué that dress the church, the racecourse and the black-tie dinner. Below, the two are compared on price, fabric, sizing and occasion, using Coveti’s live prices on 7 October 2026.

Leo Lin vs Zimmermann at a glance

Price: how much more is Zimmermann?

About 1.5 times as much at the median. Half of Leo Lin’s dresses at Coveti cost between $1,073 and $1,570; half of Zimmermann’s between $1,472 and $2,680. The extra Zimmermann money buys lace, guipure and silk organza finished to a luxury standard, and a global boutique network. Leo Lin gives you a print nobody else carries and hand-applied flowers on a lined, boned base for less. The full breakdown is in is Leo Lin a luxury brand.

Prints, fabric and craft

Zimmermann’s prints are paisleys, painted florals and toile on pale grounds, in chiffon, linen and silk that move. Leo Lin’s are botanical and painterly, drawn in-house, in fabrics that hold a shape: linen blends for the belted midis, wool tweed and vegan suede with laser-cut flowers, silk and velvet for the gowns. Zimmermann adds texture with lace and broderie. Leo Lin adds it with 3D hand-sewn petals and beading, explained in Leo Lin appliqué explained. If you want a dress that floats, choose Zimmermann. If you want one that holds its line, choose Leo Lin.

Sizing and fit

Leo Lin sizes in Australian numbers that read the same as UK sizes, so an AU 8 is a UK 8 and a US 4. The brand designs most pieces true to size, flags its Claire cardigans as running small and its Elisha pants as running large, and its bustier styles are boned with no stretch, so the ribcage decides the size. Zimmermann uses its own 0 to 4 scale, which Coveti converts to the UK ladder on every product page, and its fitted lace bodices leave little room, so take the larger size if you sit between two. The Leo Lin size guide has the full conversion.

Which to buy, occasion by occasion

• City wedding and church: Leo Lin. The Katrina Butterfly Sleeve Midi Dress in Posy Print in Snow at $1,420 has a high collar and bow belt, formal enough for the photographs.
• Beach, garden and destination wedding: Zimmermann. Tiered linen and chiffon suit heat and a sandy aisle.
• Race day: Leo Lin. The Elizabeth Short Sleeve Tweed Midi Dress in Midnight at $1,720 sits neatly under a hat.
• Black tie: Leo Lin for embellishment, such as the Rayna Embroidered Bustier Maxi Dress in Reverie Print at $1,720 and the Dahlia Petal Gown in Mahogany at $2,300; Zimmermann for a more fluid gown at a higher price.
• Cocktails: either. Leo Lin’s Roselle Appliqué Tweed Bustier Mini Dress at $1,420 is the structured option, a Zimmermann lace mini the softer one.
• Holiday and resort: Zimmermann, which also makes swimwear. Leo Lin makes very little for the pool.

The verdict

Choose Zimmermann when the setting is soft: resort, beach, garden and holiday. Choose Leo Lin when the setting is formal: a city wedding, the races, a black-tie dinner, anywhere a print has to hold its own. If budget decides it, Leo Lin gives you the print, the hand work and the construction for about two thirds of the price. For more alternatives, read brands like Leo Lin.

Shop Leo Lin and Zimmermann at Coveti.

More Leo Lin guides from Coveti

• Brands like Leo Lin
• Is Leo Lin a luxury brand?
• Leo Lin gowns and maxi dresses
• The best Leo Lin dresses
• Leo Lin size guide
• Leo Lin appliqué explained
• Shop every Leo Lin piece at Coveti

Frequently asked questions

Is Leo Lin cheaper than Zimmermann?

Yes. At Coveti the median Leo Lin dress costs $1,353 and the median Zimmermann dress $1,980, so Zimmermann costs about 1.5 times as much. Half of Leo Lin’s dresses sit between $1,073 and $1,570; half of Zimmermann’s between $1,472 and $2,680.

Is Leo Lin as good as Zimmermann?

They are good at different things. Zimmermann’s strength is lace, broderie and silk organza finished to a luxury standard. Leo Lin’s strength is exclusive prints and hand-sewn 3D appliqué on a structured, lined base, for about two thirds of the price.

Leo Lin vs Zimmermann for a wedding guest: which is better?

Leo Lin for a city wedding, a church and anything with a dress code, because its belted midis and bustier gowns are structured. Zimmermann for a beach, garden and destination wedding, where its tiered linen and chiffon suit heat and movement.

How does Leo Lin sizing compare with Zimmermann?

Leo Lin sizes in AU numbers, which read the same as UK, and designs most pieces true to size. Zimmermann uses its own 0 to 4 scale, which Coveti converts to UK sizes on each product page. Compare the UK size, not the label.

Are Leo Lin and Zimmermann the same company?

No. Both are independent Sydney labels. Zimmermann was founded in 1991 by sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann. Leo Lin was launched in 2017 by its founder and creative director, Leo Lin, and makes its pieces in its own atelier.

Are Leo Lin and Zimmermann both Australian?

Both are Australian and both design in Sydney. Zimmermann is the larger global house with its own boutiques worldwide; Leo Lin is younger and sells through its own site, a Sydney showroom and stockists such as Coveti.