herword.com: Hats Off to Mich Dulce

Hats off

Mich Dulce, fashion designer, singer, actress

Text by Ana Santos

It is utterly impossible to miss the long, bountiful, uber curly hair. It is probably the first thing one will notice about Mich Dulce.

The second thing one may notice is that like her hair, Mich Dulce is bold, vivacious and bubbly. Hers is an effervescent charm that is difficult to contain; a charm whose creative quality has been expressed in music as the former lead singer of the band called Death by Tampon and now Us-2-Evil–0, on TV as a guest on the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity edition and finally, what she is best known for—in fashion, as a flamboyant hat designer.

On the day of this interview, Dulce was wearing a red polka dotted dress and a huge ribbon in her hair and red-framed glasses that are suspiciously perched on her nose.

Before the question is even asked, Dulce in her characteristic straight up, fun-loving manner jumps right in and says, “Oh, my glasses don’t have lenses. I got this from FVR,” Dulce says wide-eyed at her disclosure and giggling mischievously as she shares a secret about the former president. “I saw him at an event once, and he also pointed to his glasses, saying ‘Look, there are no glasses,’ ” Dulce says, poking her finger right through the frame to demonstrate.

When asked about her beginnings in hat design, the 28-year old Dulce replies candidly, “Oh, I feel naked when I go out without anything in my hair,” she replies.

“I’ve always had curly hair. When I was growing up, I was always kind of the weird kid who never fit in because of it. So I thought, I should just stop trying to fit in.,” Dulce says jovially.

Re-tracing her childhood, she adds, “I never found clothes that suited my style. We had a seamstress who was living with us and she used to clothes for me, according to my specifications. When she left us, I had to learn how to make my own clothes. I always topped my outfits with a hat.”

“It was hard to find hats then. I only found them when I was traveling with my family so I decided to make my own to match my outfits,” explains Dulce.

Now, her name is a fashion label and synonymous to the quirky outfits and flippantly chic head pieces that have been paraded in many of Manila’s fashion runways, and regally worn on the heads of brides as they walk down the aisle. The Mich Dulce label is also available internationally through the online store Not Just a Label, as well as through stockists in Singapore and London.

Dulce’s carefree manner stops just where her attention to detail and craftsmanship starts. Each Mich Dulce hat is a handmade, exquisitely moulded creation. A whimsical touch—whether it’s geometric experimentation, unusually sculpted fabric, or unconventional use of materials—makes the design distinctly her own.

In 2009, Mich expanded her skill set by studying the art of Period Corsetry to complement her entry into the bridal market in the same year. “Some of brides just want a headpiece like a pillbox or an exaggerated ribbon instead of a veil to go with their wedding gown. They’re always surprised when I tell them that we need to do a fitting for the hat.”

Dulce’s inspiration for her designs is interestingly enough not Paris, as one would suspect, but London. She launches into a full explanation about her close ties with Great Britain, citing fate for this affiliation that goes as far back as birth, “My parents are Anglo-philes. My Dad was working in London when my Mom was pregnant with me. . I was supposed to be born in the UK, except that at the last minute my Mom decided to go back to the Philippines and gave birth to me here,” she exclaims, clearly regretful. “My second name is Dianna, you know, like the Princess. And our house was built in an old-fashioned English style—it looks like something that came out of the Tudors!”

“I studied and trained in the UK and my fashion sense wo uld fit right in there,” Dulce continues, cheerfully mixing her years at the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (also in London) with her flair for fashion.

It isn’t at all surprising for this woman, who initially didn’t belong and didn’t want to confirm, to find a space to call her own; compelling others to just follow as she hopped skipped and jumped her own blazing path.

Her chutzpah, panache and creativity caught the attention of The British Council who made Dulce their winner for this year’s Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) for fashion.

In February, Dulce will be sent on a 10-day all expenses paid trip to the UK where she will meet industry professionals and get the chance to tour leading organizations in the fashion industry. The trip culminates with Dulce attending London Fashion Week as an industry delegate, representing the Philippines.

“I am thrilled to go back to the UK,” Dulce enthuses. “I have this dream of making my brand a global one, making Filipinos known for our creativity and possibly starting a bespoke business locally.”

And without pausing, she says with obvious joyful glee, “But first, world domination, starting with London!”

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