Dubai to New York: Rama Duwaji emerges as fashion icon, picks Middle Eastern designer with Palestine-Lebanese roots as NYC First Lady

Dubai: Rama Duwaji didn’t just step into her role as New York City’s First Lady—she arrived, and she did it with a fashion choice that spoke louder than any inaugural soundbite. For her first official outing following the swearing-in of husband Zohran Mamdani as NYC’s new mayor, Duwaji skipped predictable power dressing and instead put the spotlight exactly where she wanted it: on independent Middle Eastern design.

Her coat of choice? A custom creation by Palestinian-Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej of Beirut-based label Renaissance, Renaissance.

Designed and made in Beirut, the faux fur and brown wool coat was adapted from Merhej’s FW23 collection—and yes, the message was intentional. This wasn’t just a look; it was a statement. One that said global fashion doesn’t begin and end in Paris, Milan, or New York.

In just a handful of public appearances, Duwaji is already carving out a distinct fashion identity—one rooted in cultural pride, independent design, and quiet confidence rather than trend-chasing. Also don't forget

As she steps into a highly visible public role, her wardrobe choices are quickly positioning her as a new kind of fashion figure: thoughtful, political, and global in outlook, with a clear preference for meaning over spectacle.

Her stylist, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, didn’t mince words. “On her first official day as First Lady of New York, Rama is wearing an independent woman designer from the Middle East,” she wrote.

“That representation resonates. It reverberates. Because fashion communicates. It sends a message.”

Message received.

For someone with a deep creative streak, Duwaji’s style has always been about more than clothes. Choosing a Middle Eastern designer on day one wasn’t accidental—it was cultural pride, political awareness, and fashion advocacy rolled into a single silhouette. A quiet flex, if you will.

And she’s been doing this. Previously, Duwaji stepped out in designs by Palestinian-Jordanian label Zeid Hijazi, proving that championing regional talent isn’t a one-off headline—it’s a pattern.

Her debut as First Lady comes on the heels of a historic political moment. Back in November, Mamdani became New York City’s first Muslim mayor, ushering in a new chapter for the Big Apple. With that, Duwaji takes on a role that’s as visible as it is influential—and she’s clearly not interested in playing it safe.

You may know her as the mayor’s wife, but make no mistake: Rama Duwaji has always been the main character. A Syrian-American artist, illustrator, and ceramicist, she was born in Houston to Syrian parents and raised between Dubai and the US. Creative, global, and unapologetically intentional—her fashion choices suggest this is just the beginning.

If this was day one, consider the tone officially set.