New York City’s new first lady, Rama Duwaji, is drawing attention for her fashion choices, particularly her support for Middle Eastern brands and her embrace of rented designer pieces.
At her husband's Zohran Mamdani's historic inauguration as the first Muslim mayor of New York City on Thursday, Duwaji, a Syrian-American, chose a coat by Palestinian-Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej and her brand Renaissance, Renaissance. Featuring a three-tiered fringe pattern, the custom faux fur and wool coat was made in Beirut and based on a design from the brand's autumn/winter 2023 collection.
“On her first official day as first lady of New York, Rama is wearing a small, independent woman designer from the Middle East,” wrote Duwaji's stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson on her Substack later. “That representation resonates. It reverberates. Because fashion communicates. It sends a message.”
Earlier in the day, Mamdani was officially sworn in at the stroke of midnight on January 1 for legal purposes. At a decommissioned subway station beneath City Hall, Mamdani placed his hand on a Quran held by Duwaji as he was sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
For the occasion, Duwaji chose a vintage Balenciaga coat rented from Albright Fashion Library.
“Thrifting is something Rama does often. She’s an exceptionally savvy shopper, so renting second-life fashion felt like the most authentic way to approach a moment of this magnitude,” said Karefa-Johnson. “In both process and result, it’s abundantly clear she has no intention of showing up as anything other than herself in this new role.”
Duwaji, 28, has worn Middle Eastern designers before. At Mamdani's victory speech in November, she wore a dark denim square-neck blouse by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi, paired with a black Ulla Johnson skirt.
“I am truly at a loss for words to express how deeply shocked I've been by the response from last week,” Hijazi wrote on Instagram later.
“I am profoundly grateful to you, Rama, the first lady of NYC, and above all, a remarkably kind, talented and visionary creative who creates beautiful illustrations.
“Perhaps it was due to my ethnicity, but I often felt that opportunities in this space were beyond my reach. Today I know with certainty that this space belongs to all of us.”
Through her work as an illustrator, Duwaji frequently depicts women of colour, focusing on their individuality, beauty and the nuances of their experiences. She uses her platform to create visual narratives that address current events and advocate for marginalised communities, particularly in the Arab world.
She has been vocal about her support for Palestine, for instance. In 2021, she shared an image showing three people standing together, joining elbows firmly. The words “we won't leave” are written across the piece in Arabic.
“In solidarity with Palestine and the families of Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood who are facing displacement from their own homes, a literal ethnic cleansing,” she said in the post.
Last year, she shared an illustration about the hunger crisis in Gaza. “As I was making this, Israel has been bombing Gaza non-stop with successive air strikes. Keep your eyes on Gaza and support @goprojecthope,” she said.
At his inauguration speech at City Hall on Thursday, Mamdani thanked Duwaji. “Thank you to my wife, Rama, for being my best friend and for always showing me the beauty in everyday things,” the mayor said.
