Ladies & Gentlemen: A breath of fresh air in NYC

You arrive in the Big Apple, completely unsuspecting, to dedicate yourself to your art, and bam, you're the First Lady of New York. That sums up the fate of Rama Duwaji, the wife of the future mayor. The 28-year-old grew up in Dubai, has Syrian roots, and would probably have preferred to continue doing what privileged girls her age do: organizing art events in Williamsburg, doing some illustrations for New York Magazine , wearing boots with bare legs, and maintaining her Instagram account—that is, mixing sexy photos (officially ironic) with clever art and activist content. But since marrying Zohran Ramdani, she has gained 100,000 more followers. And now an entire city is waiting to see how she'll fare as the first Gen Z woman in the Gracie Mansion. From a fashion perspective, it's a good start: It's refreshing to finally see a woman in the American spotlight not in a pantsuit or a business suit, but someone who isn't dressed up as a stateswoman. Here, the First Lady-in-waiting gives her speech in a circle skirt and a tight, semi-transparent knit top, which, while not nearly as revealing as what she wears as a sought-after Fashion Week guest, still reflects her own style. Later that evening, during Mamdani's victory speech, she wore a top by Palestinian designer Zeid Hijazi and a skirt by Ulla Johnson, the designer who dresses wealthy New Yorkers in boho style. So, she essentially wore a mix of conviction and establishment. It doesn't get more New York than that.

Anyone who wants to become mayor of New York will sooner or later be judged on their style. After all, the city, among its many other stories, has also made its mark on tailoring and "Sex and the City," and is brimming with fashionistas. Some argue that the style of the fast-rising Zohran Mamdani is perfectly tailored to the intended effect of his campaign. Others counter that it's not a style at all, but simply what a young man who often has to wear a suit for work would wear. So what does he actually wear? Simple suits that fit well but are rather unstructured. Not like the classic New York suits, those broad-shouldered, padded, and above all, somehow bulletproof-looking business suits. Mamdani's suits are young men's suits that only have to meet the bare minimum requirements: top and bottom made of the same fabric, usually cotton in his case; nothing more is necessary. When dressed casually, he was often seen in streetwear, even during his recent campaign, sometimes paired with a kurta, that simple collarless shirt from South Asia, and a thin sutra bracelet. These are indications of the diverse influences in his biography and the fusion of cultures that is, of course, a traditional part of New York life. What's certain is that Mamdani's relaxed demeanor, which at times—as in this photo—borderes on total nonchalance, underscores his approachable and anti-elitist style. It remains to be seen how long he can maintain this carefree attitude once in office. If he ever appears in a closed, double-breasted navy blazer, the party atmosphere will be over.