It was held as part of the recent Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok and International Leather Fair.

The contestants were told to come up with a bag under the concept of summer light, and though there were many bright and flowery designs submitted, the winning bag was quite plain and very brown.

Siriorn Teankaprasith, the winner, says she designed her bag around the concept of a tea party and drew inspiration from the cupcake, butterfly-shaped pie and chocolate.

It took her a whole month to finish the bag, because some of the details had to be made especially by hand.

Though the idea is very creative, Siriorn says that wasn't the main reason she won. "It's a product that can be sold," she explains.

Siriorn also designs clothes, keeping them minimalist in design and focusing more on details.

Her brother, Poomsak Teankaprasith, who is studying architecture, was also a contestant and came up with a creation under the concept of "Sunday Gardening". Being the biggest bag of all, he says, it's a tote that can go with you everywhere.

"It's a combination of a big bag and a small bag. It's different because most people would use a zipper to close a bag, but I've used the handle to hold them together," Poomsak says.

He won the consolation prize for his creation, mainly because his bag was meant for men, while the judges had a more feminine target in mind. However, he thinks his creation can also be used by women.

The siblings say that though they've only been designing accessories for a couple of years, they're hoping to see their designs catch on. But, for the time being, they're just trying to come up with new ideas.

Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra

The Nation