In her first official appearances as First Lady of New York City, artist Rama Duwaji shared her spin on classics every New Yorker appreciates on a freezing New Year’s Day: timeless winter coats.
Duwaji joined her husband, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, for both a private inauguration ceremony (at midnight on New Year’s Day) and a public swearing in (in the afternoon on New Year’s Day), for his historic debut as the city’s first Muslim mayor. On both occasions, she and her spouse styled understated, but polished, winter outerwear. Puck reports the pair is styled by Bailey Moon, who previously styled former United States First Lady Jill Biden.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and First Lady Rama Duwaji arrive at City Hall for the public inauguration ceremony.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
First, at a closed City Hall subway station in Lower Manhattan, Duwaji participated in Mayor Mamdani’s swearing in in a short black coat and tailored bottoms. (During the official swearing-in, Duwaji held the Quran while Mamdani took his oaths of office, officiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James.) She coordinated the all-black set with mid-calf, lace-up boots by Miista, a London-based shoemaker that emphasizes sustainability-minded production practices.
The night before, Mamdani was privately sworn in at the out-of-use City Hall subway station. Duwaji held the Quran while he swore his oaths of office.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Later that day, Duwaji arrived hand-in-hand with Mamdani at City Hall for the public New York City mayoral inauguration. She traded out her quiet black coat for a more ceremonial piece: a funnel-neck coat in warm brown, styled like a winter dress. Chocolate brown fur lined the coat’s cuffs and hem, the latter in a stack of three layers. The new First Lady’s only visible accessories included chunky silver earrings and mid-calf, lace-up boots.
Duwaji once again held the Quran as Mamdani was sworn in by Senator Bernie Sanders. Following his oaths of office, the incoming mayor delivered an inaugural address to thousands of New Yorkers. “Standing together with the wind of purpose at our backs, we will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else: We will set an example for the world,” he said. A block party open to the public followed his 25 minute address.
During the public inauguration ceremony, Duwaji performed the same role while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders swore Mamdani into office.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
While the exact credits behind Rama Duwaji’s inauguration coats were not available in full at press time, they were already making an impression with ceremony viewers. “Rama Duwaji is wearing that coat!” one commenter posted on X. “Boho style icon,” another wrote, “and I usually don’t care about fashion.”
Her first look as First Lady was bound to make an impression. Duwaji is known for her distinctive approach to getting dressed, championing vintage shopping and small-batch designer brands. “I love fashion, and I love being creative and putting things together and styling things,” she told The Cut in a recent profile. (In her cover shoot for the outlet, for example, she styled a mix of New York City designers like Diotima with vintage pieces.)
On election night, Rama Duwaji wore Zeid Hijazi, a Palestinian designer, and Ulla Johnson, a New York City designer.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
At press time, the designers behind Duwaji’s public inauguration coat and knee-high boots were still unknown.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
When Mamdani clinched his October victory in the mayoral race, Duwaji joined him for his election night victory speech in a meaningful look: a top by Palestinian designer Zeid Hijazi paired to a skirt by New York City designer Ulla Johnson. Speaking to The Cut, she mentioned noticing the conversation around her styling choices—and wanting to use her clothing to start dialogues about causes she believes in. “It’s nice to have a little bit of analysis on the clothes because, for instance, during the general-election night, it was nice to send a message about Palestinians by wearing a Palestinian designer,” she said.
Keep watching her First Lady wardrobe as Mamdani’s term continues. Odds are, she’ll continue starting conversations that matter to her with many looks.