VietNamNet Bridge – Truong Quy Nghia of Lavanto Home Decor won the first and third prize of The Gift and Home Accessories Design Competition or the 2015 Lotus Award with his artwork Sai Gon Trong Toi (Saigon in My Heart) and Mot Thoang Sai Gon (A Glimpse of Saigon).

Driving design: Truong Quy Nghia's artwork Sai Gon Trong Toi won a top home decor prize. — Photo courtesy of the organizers

Sai Gon trong toi includes nostalgic images from the 1960s and 70s on picture frames, business card boxes, coasters, key chains and motorcycle models from three popular vehicles of that time – Vespa, Honda Dame and Honda SS50 motorbikes.

A set of products Mot Thoang Sai Gon inspired by simple Sai Gon includes images of cafes, food carts and advertisements. The three main product lines are T-shirts, notebooks and decorative paintings.

Tran Thi Ai Duy from Hoang Ha Textile Co. Ltd won second prize with sets of shirts, handbags and tablecloths made of cotton and accessories from Viet Nam.

The products named Sai Gon – Trong Trai Tim Toi (Saigon – In My Heart) were printed with distinctive images of old and modern Saigon.

Another five products were given consolation prizes. They were Saigon street pop-up books from four students at Van Lang University; Saigon penholder by Tran Ngoc Hung, a lecturer at Thu Dau Mot University; Sai Gon Trong Toi, Trong Ban, Trong Chung Ta (Saigon in Me, in You, and in Us) by Pham Xuan Toan, a student at the HCM City University of Architecture; five terracotta products by designer Nguyen Van Trung; and a set of tablecloths by Tran Thi Ai Duy.

The Lotus Award and Gift and Home Accessories Design competitions were organised by the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City (HAWA) and the city's Department of Tourism.

Launched in March, they received 66 entries from 40 individuals and groups. They included seven enterprises, 20 students, 12 designers and a foreigner.

Criteria for grading were function, art, costs and trendiness.

Themed "Distinctive Souvenirs for HCM City", the competition aims to enhance the value of handicraft souvenirs and introduce the creativity and work of Vietnamese artisans to tourists.

VNS