First Lady Of New York Rama Duwaji Has Stunning Style

On January 1, 2026, a major change rolled into New York City in the form of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. As the city's first Muslim and Asian American mayor, all eyes are on the 34-year-old immigrant to see if he can deliver on the promises he made during his campaign. Promises that, because he's a Democratic Socialist, might be hard to pull off in a city that is, at its core, capitalist. However, it's not just Mamdani who's bringing change to New York, but also his wife, artist Rama Duwaji, in her own way.

Although not a politician herself, Duwaji is the youngest First Lady of New York City and is bringing a whole new energy to the equation. Not only is Duwaji's signature "bixie" cut the hottest new hair craze, but as an artist who specializes in illustration and ceramics, Duwaji definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. That's evident in both her art and impeccable fashion taste, so much so that in October 2025, a friend said to The New York Times of Duwaji, "She's our modern-day Princess Diana," and they're definitely not wrong.

While Duwaji seems like the type of woman who probably prefers to be known for her art and activism, as opposed to her style, the fact remains, this woman knows how to dress. Whether she's hanging out with friends or standing by Mamdani's side, Duwaji's approach to fashion can't be ignored. She's a woman of many gifts, and one of them just happens to be rocking some fierce looks.

Like most New Yorkers, Rama Duwaji wears a lot of black. It's not just a staple color for its residents, but a color that looks good on anyone. In December 2025, Duwaji posted a photo of herself sitting on a table in what appears to be an office building. While it's hard to tell if she was rocking a mini dress or a coat over a mini skirt, the point is that Duwaji absolutely slayed and needed zero notes. It's also cool to see her pulling off such large hoop earrings, one of the hottest jewelry trends that channels sleek '90s redux.

While millennials tend to get credit for inventing the selfie, so to speak, Gen Z is certainly no stranger to the technique. Not only did Rama Duwaji perfect the art of the selfie while showcasing a low-key look and a bit of her art behind her, but she also, in her own way, offered up tips on becoming a necklace layering pro. Believe it or not, there's a science to making layering look good, with each necklace being equally visible and not ending up in a tangled mess. Clearly, Duwaji has figured this out. Also, can we get a round of applause for those eyebrows of hers?

Similar to her affinity for wearing the color black, Rama Duwaji has a thing for boots. She also knows her way around a pair of cowboy boots, unlike Lauren Boebert, who's yet to learn how to style the iconic Americana footwear. While Boebert may still be trying to make cowboy boots and business casual attire happen, Duwaji proves these are the type of boots that can work with most outfits if you have the confidence it takes to do so. In theory, a one-shoulder top, knee-length shorts, and cowboy boots sound like a mess, but as evidenced by Duwaji, it's the epitome of cool for spring in New York City.

Let's get straight to the point: we love celebrity wedding dresses that are outside-the-box. After all, it's your wedding and therefore your day, so why not get creative and unconventional? When Rama Duwaji and Zohran Mamdani tied the knot at New York City's City Clerk's office in early 2025, Duwaji went with a white lace slip dress with an uneven hem and black mid-calf boots. In May 2025, Mamdani took to Instagram to post photos of the nuptials, saying in the caption, "Rama isn't just my wife, she's an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms." Is someone cutting onions in here?

In February 2025, Rama Duwaji posted a selfie on her Instagram, before she embraced her now well-known "bixie" and was in her French bob era, one of the sleekest short hair looks. Duwaji's skirt, which appeared to be made of chiffon or something similar, had a unique black and white swirl design, and she completed the look with a black tank top and black boots. Although nothing here was outright groundbreaking, Duwaji gave us a masterclass in how to be effortlessly chic without needing to go all out.

In a Rama Duwaji selfie from February 2025, two things are very clear: Duwaji absolutely knows how to take the classic cat eye to a new level, and she knows how to dress for New York City's winter while not losing her stunning sense of style. If you've ever lived in or been to New York in the winter, you know that looking good when it's roughly 10 degrees below zero with a nor'easter on the way isn't easy. Although we can't see the entire outfit, based on the button detail at the neck of the coat and the slouchy hat, there's no denying Duwaji is head-to-toe cool.

When Rama Duwaji attended Zohran Mamdani's ceremonial inauguration at City Hall on January 01, 2026, she brought to the stage something New York City hasn't seen on First Lady in a long time: impeccable taste. Dressed in a chocolate brown coat with a funnel-neck and faux fur trim at the wrists and along the skirt by Palestinian-Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej of Renaissance Renaissance, Duwaji completed the look with dark brown knee-high boots. Again, Duwaji wore large hoops, but this time went with a thicker version, so they wouldn't be lost in the neck of her coat.

On November 4, 2025, also known as Election Day, Rama Duwaji and Zohran Mamdani arrived at The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Queens to cast their votes for the next mayor of New York City. Although we'll never know who they voted for — just kidding — Duwaji brought her A-game to the voting booth. In a black sheer, short-sleeve sweater top paired with a black A-line skirt and black boots, Duwaji looked flawless and cool as a cucumber. It may have been early in the day, but based on projections, Mamdani had his win in the bag.

When Zohran Mamdani took the stage to accept his win as the next mayor of New York City, Rama Duwaji was by his side and already taking her job as First Lady seriously regarding what she chose to wear. Similar to Kamala Harris' outfits that meant more than you ever realized, Duwaji was intentional in choosing a black top by Palestinian designer Zeid Hijazi, and pairing it with a black velvet and lace skirt by New York designer Ulla Johnson. Duwaji completed her look with silver earrings by another NYC-based designer, Eddie Borgo, and a black shawl. Needless to say, not only did Duwaji look gorgeous, but the representation mattered.

Before the public inaugural celebration on January 1, 2026, Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City's 112th mayor by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, shortly after midnight. For the occasion, Rama Duwaji wore a rented vintage Balenciaga coat and a pair of black Miista Shelley Boots that retail for — gasp! — $630. Naturally, this price tag didn't sit well with MAGA talking heads, resulting in Duwaji's stylist, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, explaining that the boots were borrowed. "I'm just going to have to get comfortable with the fact that people on the internet do not understand what being lent a SAMPLE that has been borrowed before and will be borrowed again means but, you know what, that's okay," Karefa-Johnson wrote on her Substack. "I love that she's added a new chapter to garments that have already lived many lives — and that their next wearers will get to share in this piece of history."