Rama Duwaji, wife of New York's first Muslim mayor Zohran Mamdani, made a style statement at his inauguration by wearing a coat by Palestinian-Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej. Her stylist highlighted the choice as a message of support for independent Middle Eastern designers and a reflection of Duwaji's savvy shopping habits, including thrifting and renting fashion. The couple met on a dating app in 2021 and have had multiple ceremonies, including in Uganda, Mamdani's birth country.