Xandra Padilla raises The Ramp

It was interesting for me to hear a father advising his son on his choice of a future wife. The conversation went like this: “Son, you should marry a woman who has a degree so she can get a good paying job. She has to know how to drive so she can drive herself to work and your future children in case of emergency. It is no longer the norm for the wife to just sit at home doing nothing while the husband is killing himself working for the family. Times are no longer as simple as during the times of our parents, and bread-winning nowadays is shared by both husband and wife. A woman who knows how to earn a living makes a good partner in life and is more interesting for a man to come home to than one who is just at home doing nothing.”

Surprisingly, the son agreed with his father, and I myself found wisdom in his advice. Women should make the most of their potential and go out there and expand their horizons. Children of wealthy families are taking over their parents’ and grandparents’ businesses and we know most of them.

Alexandra Ramos-Padilla is the granddaughter of Socorro Ramos, founder of National Book Store. She could have chosen to be a lady of leisure doing the party circuit and traveling the globe several times over. Instead, she chose to pursue higher studies. After she finished her course in Management Engineering at the Ateneo, she continued to take her MBA at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Northwestern University, Chicago. She graduated with flying colors and landed herself a job in Arkansas at the headquarters of the famous Wal-Mart chain of stores. 

Armed with three years of training at Wal-Mart, she decided to come home and apply her expertise in the family-owned Crossings Department Store.

 During one of Xandra’s trips to Paris, she noticed that the department stores patronized local European designers. She decided to do the same at Crossings and in 2005, she rounded up local, entrepreneurial young designers and together they put up The Ramp.

The Ramp became the showcase of these designers’ creativity and craftsmanship at very reasonable prices. There are creations for women of all ages and for every occasion. 

The first time I heard about The Ramp was from the designer of Salsa Trends, Arlene Sipat, who brought me there to check out her beachwear. Then, my niece, Naisa, wore something very chic during one of our family gatherings and told me she bought it at the Lucca section of The Ramp. Upon my niece’s persuasion, I decided to pay the department store another visit.

We went one Saturday afternoon and chanced upon the launching of the fall line of Anne Ong’s Cosmopolitan Designs. I felt like I was watching a fashion show in Harajuku, Tokyo. The clothes were very hip and worn with designer stockings and platform gladiator shoes. She used leather obi belts in different colors over black mini-dresses, accented with designer stockings in black paisley and other patterns, and very colorful neckpieces she designed and handcrafted herself. Her party clothes were a combination of Lacroix and Chanel-inspired pieces. Her clothes were so entertainingly different!

One feels very fashionista and young wearing The Ramp’s designer clothes. Take note of these labels: United Pop (which sells beautifully beaded dresses), Amber (where I saw some sexy bustiers), Wild Flower (flirty, cute dresses), Faith, Hope and Love (where my niece bought a dress that accentuated her slim figure), Possibility (with trendy tube dresses and statement shoe wear), Salsa Trends (if you want the latest in beachwear, casual wear and party dresses, too), Lucca and Abrace (for structured skirts and jackets). All the designers sell their clothes, accessories and footwear at recessionista prices.

Xandra explained that her vision was to give these young designers their own niche in fashion and at the same time empower them by making them feel good about their designs and creativity. It works for both the designers and fashion-forward consumers who enjoy feeling very fashionista in designer clothes at wallet-friendly price tags!

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The Ramp Crossings has branches at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, TriNoma, Glorietta, Quezon Avenue, and The Podium.