Rama Duwaji, the first lady of New York City, is more than a fashion icon

“Rama Duwaji, the first lady of New York City, somewhat reminds me of Kate Middleton — in that, before any of their personal achievements, their fashion sense is celebrated first. Except Kate Middleton is part of the British monarchy, so that’s a different story. In all fairness, I get it. Political fashion has never looked cooler than Duwaji’s typically all-black, retro chic ensembles. Her style alone makes a clear statement, not through bold colour and pattern, but in where they’re usually sourced: small, independent businesses. Oftentimes woman-owned. Oftentimes, Middle Eastern-owned. At Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration as the first Muslim mayor of New York City, Duwaji chose to wear a brown, funnel-neck coat, designed by Palestinian-Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej, from her brand “Renaissance, Renaissance.” But we’re not here to only talk about fashion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by RAMA DUWAJI (@ramaduwaji) Before Rama Duwaji became the first lady of New York City A Syrian-American born in Texas and raised in Dubai, UAE, Duwaji’s fashion sense is often a testament to her heritage. But that’s not the only way she embeds culture into her life. As an illustrator, her art has always taken a political stance. Now that she has gained a public platform as the first lady of New York City, her work — which centres Middle Eastern identity and culture , particularly gender inequalities in the Middle East — matters now more than ever. “Everything is political,” she told Hyperallergic . “What we choose to show, what we choose to omit, the stories we highlight and the ones we leave in the margins. It has and will continue to be important for me to reflect the times around me as an artist.” As a child, she would often get into trouble for doodling in her textbooks during school. Duwaji graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in communication design, specifically from its satellite campus in Doha, Qatar . She’d go on to pursue artist residences in Beirut and France, and later enrol in the School of Visual Arts in New York City to study illustration. View this post on Instagram A post shared by RAMA DUWAJI (@ramaduwaji) Her thesis — titled “Sahtain: The Arabic equivalent of ‘bon appetit’” — explores “making and sharing dishes as a communal act.” She completed her master’s in 2024 and became one of 500 applicants to get selected for an artist residency in the Catskill Mountains. “Fine arts always felt like something that requires a studio, expensive tools, permission,” says Duwaji. “Illustration was something I could practice in the margins of my notebooks or on the subway.” Who is Rama Duwaji, the controverial Gen Z artist? Today, you can find Duwaji’s artworks on prestigious platforms like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, the Tate Modern, and even digital platforms such as Apple and Spotify. She’s also a ceramist, often dissecting the intersection of ceramics, illustration, and animation. Back in February, online magazine Slow Fact published an essay titled “ A Trail of Soap ” by Diana Islayih, which tells the story of a Gaza camp for internally displaced people during the Palestinian genocide. The article features an illustration by Duwaji of a woman drawn in black and white. Of course, there was backlash. The essay is part of a compilation, “Every Moment Is a Life,” collected by scientist and writer Susan Abulhawa. While Mamdani has since revealed that Duwaji’s freelance work is secured through a third party, and she is not in direct communication with the author , the illustrator has, in fact, shared and liked pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel posts. The essay also isn’t the first time Duwaji has illustrated for a Palestinian-centred piece. In an era where A-list celebrities like Taylor Swift and Beyonce have remained silent on the purge of an entire nation, it’s simply refreshing — essential — to see another public figure on the right side.

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