India, Feb. 7 -- What a time to be alive! A garment can be designed in Spain, sewn in China and sold in a Dubai mall for a shopper to bring back to India. Homegrown designers are selling in chic boutiques in both Mehrauli and Montmartre. And yet, when it comes to understanding your size, something's not adding up. A UK Size 8 is at least two sizes bigger than a US Size 8 (Or is it smaller?) Size zero is a lie; so is plus-size. And Free Size remains a mystery.

Worse, India, a nation of 1.45 billion, has no standard sizing system. So, one brand's Small is another label's Medium; men's shirts have numbered sizes; online orders get returned after customers realise the clothes weren't the size they expected them to be. In stores, we're still ...