Van Lang University's Graphic Design students win game costume design competition with an idea inspired by traditional Vietnamese folk toys.

With his artwork “Te Tò He”, Nguyen Nhut Duy, a student from the 28th cohort of the Graphic Design major at Van Lang University, won the Special Prize at the Arena of Valor Costume Design Contest 2025 organized by Garena Arena of Valor Mobile. The contest, which ran from the end of October to mid-December 2025, aimed to find new costume designs inspired by Vietnamese popular culture that could be applied in the game.

Out of hundreds of entries, Nguyen Nhut Duy's work "Te To He" was selected by the expert panel to receive the Special Prize, which includes 50,000,000 VND in cash and a 60% scholarship for advanced training in the field of digital creativity. Notably, according to the competition rules, the winning work will be used as the official Vietnamese costume design for a hero in Arena of Valor in 2026.

Inspired by the art of tò he – a traditional Vietnamese toy deeply connected to the childhood memories of many generations – “Te Tò He” recreates a vibrant world through the character design of Wisp. The artwork combines the image of the Nghê, a familiar mythical creature in Vietnamese culture, with the distinctive clay material of tò he. From the hair, clothing, and accessories to the machinery the character uses, everything is rendered with a soft, lively spirit, evoking a handcrafted feel while remaining consistent with the modern visual language of the game. A highlight is the dragon-shaped tò te horn Wisp carries at his side, a symbol of joy and the sounds of childhood.

Nhut Duy shared that when participating in the competition, he didn't focus on winning prizes, but rather on doing his best. Therefore, when the results were announced, he felt surprised and happy:  "I feel lucky that an idea inspired by the 'to he' (traditional Vietnamese toy) – a very familiar and very Vietnamese image – was well-received by everyone."

According to Nhut Duy, the choice of using traditional Vietnamese clay figurines (to he) for Wisp's costume stemmed from a similarity in personality. Both characters are playful, mischievous, and full of energy. Besides the visual elements, the artwork also explores the symbolic value of the clay figurines, the skillful hands of folk artisans, while retaining characteristic features and combining them with a bright, fresh color palette to suit the game environment.

The entire "Te Tò He" contest entry was created by Nhựt Duy in about seven consecutive days, from sketching to completion. As soon as the contest was launched, he chose Wisp and tò he (traditional Vietnamese toy figurines) as the main direction for his concept, and took charge of the entire process of idea development, design implementation, and product completion. The knowledge gained at Van Lang University helped Nhựt Duy approach the work systematically, from research and sketching to presentation, thereby controlling the quality and consistency of the concept.

Prior to winning the Special Prize at the 2025 Alliance Costume Design Contest, Nguyen Nhut Duy had already made his mark in many other creative competitions: the 2024 Alliance Costume Design Contest, Third Prize in the Community Category of the Show It Now 2025 Contest, Top 40 in the Miss Grand Vietnam 2025 National Costume Design Contest, Runner-up in the Miss Cosmo Vietnam 2025 Parade Costume Design Contest, and Best National Costume at Mister Tourism World 2025.

For Nhut Duy, traditional Vietnamese culture is a constant source of inspiration throughout his learning and creative process. From clay figurines and buffaloes to familiar folk imagery, Nhut Duy approaches cultural materials from a young person's perspective, respecting original values ​​and reinterpreting them using contemporary visual language. His works often originate from understanding symbolic meanings, then are transformed into designs suitable for various contexts such as games, stage performances, or shows, thereby maintaining the Vietnamese spirit naturally and relatable to young audiences.

Nguyen Nhut Duy's achievement demonstrates the seriousness in learning and creativity of a Graphic Design student, while also reflecting the training environment at the Faculty of Fine Arts & Design that encourages practice, experience, and participation in professional competitions. From ideas stemming from folklore, the works of Van Lang University students are gradually asserting their applicability and dialogue with the contemporary context, finding their place in competitions both domestically and internationally.

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