Rama Duwaji Wears a Middle Eastern Designer at Zohran Mamdani's Inauguration

At the historic inauguration of her husband, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Rama Duwaji, New York City’s new First Lady, made a powerful fashion statement by wearing a creation from a Middle Eastern designer, capturing global attention and shining a spotlight on independent talent from the region. 

For the public inauguration ceremony at City Hall, Duwaji, a 28-year-old Syrian-American artist and illustrator, chose a custom faux fur and wool coat by Cynthia Merhej of Lebanese-Palestinian label Renaissance, Renaissance. The dramatic coat — featuring a distinctive three-tiered fringe pattern and originally part of the brand’s autumn/winter 2023 collection — was crafted in Beirut and exemplified craftsmanship from the Middle Eastern fashion scene

Her stylist, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, noted that Duwaji’s choice was intentional, designed to honor small, independent designers and offer representation on one of the world’s most photographed stages. “On her first official day as First Lady of New York, Rama is wearing a small, independent woman designer from the Middle East,” Karefa-Johnson wrote on her Substack. “That representation resonates.” 

This was not the first time Duwaji used fashion to elevate regional design. During Mamdani’s victory speech in November, she wore a denim square-neck blouse by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi, paired with a skirt by U.S. label Ulla Johnson — another nod to her commitment to spotlighting underrepresented creatives. 

Duwaji’s fashion choices reflect both her personal style and her broader values. Known for her artistic work that often centers women of colour and advocates for marginalised communities, she has previously used her platform to draw attention to causes like Palestinian solidarity and humanitarian crises. 

At the inauguration, her elegant yet impactful look complemented Mamdani’s historic achievement as the first Muslim and first South Asian mayor of New York City. During his City Hall speech, the mayor publicly thanked Duwaji for her support, citing her as “my best friend” and a source of inspiration in his life and work. 

Duwaji’s sartorial spotlight on Middle Eastern design during such a significant civic moment was widely praised as both a cultural celebration and a statement of inclusivity — reinforcing fashion’s ability to communicate values, identity and global connectivity.

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