MANILA, Philippines - Filipina fashion designer Mich Dulce is this year's winner of the International Young Fashion Entrepreneur award.

Dulce received a £5,000-grant for a collaborative project with the British Council, the United Kingdom's international organization for educational opportunities and cultural relations.

She bested finalists from Russia, Libya, Bangladesh, India, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, and Turkey in terms of entrepreneurial ability, leadership skills, and market awareness, the British Council said in a statement.

"Designer and milliner Mich Dulce has a distinct aesthetic -- a sense of the sublime coupled generously with exuberant experimentation," the British Council said.

Dulce studied at leading fashion institutions including Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, and the New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. She also apprenticed under Marjan Pejoski, Jessica Ogden, and Susan Cianciolo.

"Since launching her label in 2001, Mich Dulce has established a successful brand recognized for her handmade, exquisitely moulded hats," the British Council said.

Dulce was also one of the 14 celebrities who joined ABS-CBN's hit reality show "Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition" in 2006. Photo courtesy of the British Council