Researching Nikki Gabriel:

Nikki Gabriel has developed a series of her own knitting patterns, which you can construct yourself (by purchasing off her website) She explains it as a “building block system”. So you create different panels and then build them together to complete a garment. I find it really inspiring because personally I don’t think I have the capability nor the time to produce a fully knitted garment that depicts structure and volume without seams and panels. I’m relying on constructing basic panels that uses this “building block system” which can be joined into the seams or hand sewn together separately to form each piece.

http://www.nikkigabriel.com/Nikki_Gabriel-Construction.asp
Here you can see how the garment evolves.