Hanoi Tet in the 1990s through a French photographer's lens

French-Moroccan photographer Bruno Barbey captured images of residents by The Huc bridge and peach gardens in Hanoi in 1994.

A young man out for Tet on a Honda Win 100 motorcycle. This model, mainly produced in Indonesia from the mid-1980s, was introduced to Vietnam in the 1990s – the early Doi Moi period. It quickly became popular among young people due to its rugged appearance.

Bruno Barbey (1941-2020), a renowned French-Moroccan photographer, first visited Vietnam in 1972, documenting the southern battlefield. He returned in 1994 to explore Hanoi, Quang Ninh, and Cao Bang. It was during this trip that he captured a vibrant series of photographs of Hanoi residents celebrating Tet Giap Tuat, offering a unique glimpse into the city during the early 1990s.

Barbey, who studied photography and graphic arts in Switzerland, gained recognition for his work on post-war life in Italy, published in his 1964 book, Les Italiens. His extensive travels across continents led him to document daily life and people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, making him a prominent figure in photojournalism.

A father takes his children out for Tet on a motorcycle. At that time, traffic laws did not require people to wear helmets or limit the number of passengers, so the sight of an entire family on one motorcycle was common. Mandatory helmet use was implemented from December 2007.

A playground featuring miniature cars, motorcycles, and airplanes. City children wear bright, neat clothes during Tet.

People cycling on the street. In the early 1990s, bicycles were still a common mode of transport in urban areas.

A Honda motorcycle rider navigates into a small eatery in an alley. The eatery has simple tables and chairs, lit by a few incandescent bulbs, with a nylon tarp overhead and a handwritten sign. On both sides are old collective housing blocks, a familiar sight in Hanoi's streets of that era.

A sundry stall at Ngoc Son temple sells foam and paper toys for children. Behind it is a tiger bas-relief, symbolizing the golden tablet listing successful doctoral candidates.

People pose for Tet photos on a motorcycle, in front of a space decorated with artificial flowers. Behind them are images of Doraemon and Nobita from the Japanese series "Doraemon". The work was first published in Vietnam in 1992, becoming a favorite for many generations of children.

A neatly dressed boy poses by The Huc bridge.

A group of students enjoys spring outings and eats pho in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Eateries commonly used nylon tablecloths, a practice widespread since the subsidy period.