For her Redress Design Award collection ‘Cat Mentality Institute’, Tao was inspired by her affinity to build little nests for cats using old clothes and cardboard boxes. Her creations offer dual purposes: wearable garments that can also serve as a bed for cats, designed for cat owners. Tao sources unwanted fabrics from flea markets, including pure cotton knitted items, which allows for recyclability.

As part of the Rising Talents programme, Tao was mentored by Robert Meeder, Chief Innovation Officer, Selyn Exporters; and Redress alum Felipe Wu, Founder and Designer, uhoo wu and BOLD italic.