A balance of Contradictions expresses the tension of a young girl trying to assimilate into the ‘Australian way of life’ while appreciating her Chinese heritage and maintaining a sense of self. The frayed hems and ripped pleats in Xiao’s garments reflect her troubled mindset trying to reconcile these competing demands. The centerpiece of this collection is a jacket constructed entirely of thermoplastic polyurethane using a 3D printing pen and finished with paint stroke textures made using brushes from Xiao’s grandfather’s Chinese calligraphy set – a family treasure.