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Victoria lawyer David Mulroney's business suits were custom-made to fit his body, yet his tailors never once laid eyes on him.

Chinese tailors handcrafted three suits for him in Shanghai, while Mulroney, who ordered them online, awaited their delivery by courier.

"I had to steam them a little bit, but I love them," Mulroney says, adding that each suit cost around $500 less than buying ready-made suits off the rack. "It worked out really well."

Countries such as China, Thailand and Vietnam have long been known for their cheap garment manufacturing, but until recently, North American customers have either had to travel there for budget bespoke clothing, or settle for mass-produced imports.

Now, custom outsourcing is growing in the garment industry, as consumers increasingly seek the elegance of well-tailored outfits at reduced prices.

Companies such as Victoria-based Indochino Inc., which operates in Shanghai, Hong Kong's OM Custom Tailors and Thailand's MyCustomTailor.com allow North American clients to place orders through their websites. Most such companies specialize in men's suits and dress shirts, as women's fashions are more varied.

Buyers simply enter their measurements and pick out the style and fabric of the suit they wish to purchase, leaving the rest to the tailors overseas.

Some Asia-based companies also have travelling tailors who visit the United States and Canada to take clients' measurements before creating the garments back in Asia.

Indochino's chief executive officer Kyle Vucko says his company's business model has several advantages.

First, there are no storefronts to update and maintain. Also, since each suit is made to order, Indochino saves on inventory costs. These savings allow the company to pay tailors competitive wages, and keep independent, local Chinese tailors employed, helping them avoid being swallowed up by large garment factories.

"They get to keep their shops open and they're able to work from home, so the quality of life for them is a lot better as well," Vucko says.

Then there is the style advantage. The made-to-order model allows the company to create suits in line with the latest fashions (if that's what the customer wants, of course).

Designers at the Shanghai School of Design help Indochino come up with changing styles, based on the season's most popular trends.

The average price of an Indochino suit is about $300, approximately a third of the cost of a designer suit bought off the rack, he says. In comparison, a custom-tailored suit made in Canada generally costs at least $700.

He says finished suits can be delivered within two weeks.

Despite these pluses, Vucko doesn't expect companies like his to replace traditional retailers any time soon. One of the biggest challenges for these custom outsourcing garment businesses is convincing people to buy suits remotely, sight unseen.

However, Vucko says the company is beating expectations, and is rapidly expanding. It receives about three to four suit orders a day.

Mulroney, who ordered his three suits through Indochino, says he was impressed with his online purchases. He hasn't entirely got over his hesitation about shopping on the Internet, but he would buy from the company again.

However, he says, he remains a sucker for a cheap, ready-made designer suit.

"If I see a Hugo Boss suit at Winners, I'll still buy it."