Xandra Ramos-Padilla: Books of her life

MANILA, Philippines - The life of Xandra Ramos-Padilla unfolds like many of her favorite books. After all, Xandra is the purchasing director for books of National Book Store and at the same time the general manager of Crossings/The Ramp Crossings.

Like the protagonist in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, one of her favorite books, Xandra says she went through a challenging journey to find a treasure only to realize that what she was looking for was in her home all along. “I read that book while I was working abroad and facing a crossroad whether to continue my career there or to move back home.  (After finishing Management Engineering at the Ateneo) I took my MBA at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Northwestern University and was working in Bentonville, Arkansas for Walmart Stores.” She came home and found the solution.

She also loves Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert because it “mirrors my journey in finding my authentic self, trying different things like travel, prayer, food, exercise.” Like the central character of the book, Xandra, when she least expected it, also found her soul mate — in her husband Mark Padilla. They have two kids. 

Xandra holds Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco very close to her heart because the world premiere of this book was the first event she hosted for National Book Store. Since then, she has had the privilege of hosting other authors like Samantha Sotto, Nicholas Sparks, Lauren Kate, Lauren Oliver and Junot Diaz.

On fashion reading, Xandra chooses Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressange. “This book enumerates guiding principles to achieve nonchalant chic. The idea is to have key pieces for your wardrobe, not to be too ‘matchy- matchy’ or to wear one designer from head to toe. The book epitomizes what we are trying to achieve with The Ramp Crossings where we let our customers be ‘mixologists of style’,” she says.  

She is also very proud of Jenni Epperson’s book Fashion + Food and Bianca Valerio’s Face to Face: The Healing Power of Makeup because those were the first books that she published on behalf of National Book Store. “We were so proud to make each book a reality despite birthing pains,” she recalls.  

Xandra, who credits her lola, National Book Store founder Socorro Ramos, for her keen knowledge of business negotiation and managing adversities with charm, says she dreams for the public to have better access to books and sophisticated yet affordable fashion.

For Xandra, it is achievable. After all, she knows by heart, as The Alchemist taught her, “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”                                             

Photography by RITA MARIE ABIOG • Creative direction

by LUIS ESPIRITU, JR. • Styling by RUDOLPH LEONOR • Hairstyling by TERESA MATIC • Jewelry by DE CAPRICHO • Shot on location at the DIAMOND HOTEL PHILIPPINES • Special thanks to the management and staff

of Diamond Hotel Philippines