As New York City's first lady,Rama Duwajichannels art-world chic.
The Syrian-American illustrator held two Qurans asZohran Mamdanitook the oath of office as New York City mayor after midnight on New Year's Day, in a minimalist black coat, a knee-length black dress or skirt and black ankle boots, with a pair of gold, sculptural statement earrings.
Duwaji, 28, has continued to subvert expectations in her clothing choices as the incoming first lady, favoring understated, modern looks with creative-class sensibility. Online, she's seen insimilarly modernist looks, and as the34-year-old democratic socialistmade hisvictory speechin November, Duwaji was by his side wearing a dark denim square-neck top by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi and a Ulla Johnson black skirt, also with statement dangling earrings by New York City jewelry designer Eddie Borgo.
Get to know Rama Duwaji, Zohran Mamdani's wife and NYC's youngest first lady
Duwaji obtained a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Washington Post as well as Apple and Spotify.
Rama Duwaji, illustrating her own life,is more than Zohran Mamdani's wife
At Mamdani's swearing in, he called taking the office "the honor and a privilege of a lifetime" after signing the paperwork and paying a $9 filing fee to make it official.
Mamdani, who was also surrounded by his parents, Mahmood Mamdani and Mira Nair, was administered the oath by New York Attorney GeneralLetitia Jamesunder the Spanish-tiled arches of alandmarked former subway station below City Hallin Lower Manhattan.
Inauguration live updates:Zohran Mamdani takes office as NYC mayor
Mamdani will also be sworn in outside City Hall bySen. Bernie Sandersafter an introductionby Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Mamdani is the 112th person — but thefirst Muslim and the first person of South Asian descent— to lead the nation's largest city. By taking his oath on the Quran, he is now the first mayor of New York to do so,according to the New York Times.
Contributing: Victoria E. Freile, Eduardo Cuevas, Dan Morrison and Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji faithful to all-black aesthetic