This is about as far apart as two mainstream brands get. GAP is the reference point for roomy classic American sizing, true to size with generous ease. Bershka is Inditex's youth brand, labelled in EU sizes and cut for a young, slim frame — with perhaps the strongest "size up" consensus on the high street: one size up is standard for anything fitted, and two isn't unusual for jeans.
The label systems compound the gap. GAP's letters map to US numeric sizes (M is a US 8–10); Bershka's letters map to EU numerics one-to-one (M is EU 38, a US 6). Line the charts up by body measurement and the same letter describes a body roughly one full size smaller at Bershka — before its slim cut is even factored in. Here's the mapping in numbers.
The short answer
Bershka runs far smaller — a GAP medium is a Bershka large on paper, and the slim cut often adds another size on top
Match the charts by bust and the offset is consistent: a GAP M body (36.5–37.5" bust) lands on Bershka's L (92–95 cm), and a GAP L lands on Bershka's XXL. GAP's XL and XXL fall beyond Bershka's published women's chart entirely. The waist columns tell the same story — GAP M's 28.5–29.5" waist is almost exactly Bershka L's 72–75 cm.
That's just the paper gap. Bershka's fit verdict adds the rest: it cuts slim, full stop, with shoppers consistently needing one — sometimes two — sizes up in jeans, trousers, and fitted pieces. The exceptions run in opposite directions at each brand: Bershka's oversized hoodies and knits fit true to size (don't size up there), while GAP's relaxed and oversized lines run big enough to size down.
GAP vs Bershka at a glance
| GAP | Bershka | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing system | US numeric + alpha; M = US 8–10 | EU numeric + alpha; M = EU 38 = US 6 |
| Fit verdict | True to size, leaning slightly generous | Runs small — one of the strongest size-up consensuses around |
| Target cut | Classic American fit with generous ease | Youth brand cut for a young, slim frame |
| Denim | Mostly true in the waist; stretchy washes relax with wear | Own numeric scale (EU 32–48); up to two sizes up is common |
| Oversized lines | Run notably big — size down | Fit true to size or roomy — don't size up |
Bershka sizes mapped to GAP sizes (women)
Aligned by body bust measurement, not by letter — the two brands' alpha sizes sit on different systems. Bershka figures are as republished from its size guidance (aggregator-sourced).
| Bershka size (EU) | Bershka bust | Closest GAP size | GAP bust |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS (34) | 80–83 cm · 31.5–32.7" | Below XS–XS | 32.5–33.5" · 82.5–85 cm |
| S (36) | 84–87 cm · 33.1–34.3" | XS–S | 32.5–33.5" · 82.5–85 cm / 34.5–35.5" · 87.5–90 cm |
| M (38) | 88–91 cm · 34.6–35.8" | S | 34.5–35.5" · 87.5–90 cm |
| L (40) | 92–95 cm · 36.2–37.4" | M | 36.5–37.5" · 92.5–95.5 cm |
| XL (42) | 96–99 cm · 37.8–39" | M–L | 36.5–37.5" · 92.5–95.5 cm / 39–40.5" · 99–103 cm |
| XXL (44) | 100–103 cm · 39.4–40.6" | L | 39–40.5" · 99–103 cm |
Women's waists side by side
Aligned by body waist measurement — GAP sizes matched to the nearest Bershka size. Bershka data as republished from its size guidance (aggregator-sourced). GAP's XL and XXL fall beyond Bershka's published chart.
| GAP size | GAP waist | Closest Bershka size | Bershka waist |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS (0–2) | 25.5" · 65 cm | S (36) | 64–67 cm · 25.2–26.4" |
| S (4–6) | 26.5–27.5" · 67.5–70 cm | M (38) | 68–71 cm · 26.8–28" |
| M (8–10) | 28.5–29.5" · 72.5–75 cm | L (40) | 72–75 cm · 28.3–29.5" |
| L (12–14) | 30.75–32" · 78–81.5 cm | XL–XXL (42–44) | 76–79 cm · 29.9–31.1" / 80–83 cm · 31.5–32.7" |
| XL (16–18) | 33.75–35.75" · 85.5–91 cm | Beyond chart | — |
Men's tops — read with care
Not apples-to-apples: GAP publishes body chest measurements, while Bershka's republished figures are garment chest measurements (the clothing itself, including ease). Shown for orientation only — that Bershka's L garment measures barely above the bodies GAP's L is built for says everything about the slim cut.
| Size | GAP chest (body) | Bershka chest (garment) |
|---|---|---|
| S | 36–38" · 91.5–96.5 cm | 90–94 cm · 35.4–37" |
| M | 39–41" · 99–104 cm | 96–100 cm · 37.8–39.4" |
| L | 42–44" · 106.5–112 cm | 102–106 cm · 40.2–41.7" |
| XL | 45–47" · 114.5–119.5 cm | 108–112 cm · 42.5–44.1" |
Switching between GAP and Bershka
- Start one letter up from your GAP size at Bershka — the charts alone put a GAP M body in a Bershka L — and go up again for anything fitted.
- Bershka jeans are the extreme case: they run on their own EU numeric scale (32–48) and the slim cut means two sizes up from instinct isn't unusual. Check the denim-specific chart.
- Don't size up in Bershka's oversized hoodies and knits — those fit true to size or roomy. At GAP it's the reverse: relaxed and oversized lines are the ones to size down in.
- GAP XL and XXL bodies fall beyond Bershka's published women's chart — check individual garment measurements before assuming Bershka's XXL will work.
Measurements are based on each brand's published size charts and may vary by garment, fabric, and region. For the full charts and fit notes, see the GAP size guide and the Bershka size guide.
GAP vs Bershka sizing FAQs
Which runs smaller, GAP or Bershka?
Bershka, by a wide margin — it's the biggest gap in this series. The charts alone put the same letter about one full size apart (a GAP M body is a Bershka L), and Bershka's slim youth cut typically demands another size up in fitted pieces, with jeans sometimes needing two.
What Bershka size am I if I wear a GAP medium?
On paper, a Bershka L: GAP M's 36.5–37.5" bust and 28.5–29.5" waist line up almost exactly with Bershka L's 92–95 cm bust and 72–75 cm waist. For fitted styles, Bershka's runs-small reputation makes the XL worth considering; in its oversized knits and hoodies, the L should do.
Is a Bershka medium the same as a GAP medium?
Not even close. A Bershka M is EU 38 — a US 6, charting an 88–91 cm bust — while a GAP M is a US 8–10 with a 92.5–95.5 cm bust. The same letter describes a body a full size smaller at Bershka, before accounting for its slimmer cut.
Why do Bershka jeans need so much more adjustment than GAP jeans?
Two reasons stack: Bershka sizes denim on its own numeric scale (EU 32–48), separate from its regular chart, and the brand's slim cut hits hardest in bottoms — shoppers routinely go up two sizes. GAP denim, by contrast, runs mostly true in the waist, with stretchy washes if anything relaxing over time.
Can I compare GAP and Bershka men's sizes directly?
Not cleanly. GAP's men's chart lists body chest measurements, but Bershka's republished men's figures measure the garment itself — different things, so the columns can't be matched one-to-one. The takeaway is directional: Bershka's garments measure slim relative to the bodies GAP builds for, so size up from your GAP letter.
