The moment should’ve been historic—a celebration of diversity and progress in New York City politics. But instead, all eyes were on a pair of $630 boots.
As Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City’s first Muslim and Asian American mayor on January 1, the spotlight shifted to his wife, Rama Duwaji—and her footwear. Her sleek black leather Shelley Boots by Miista, valued at $630, set off a full-blown online frenzy after the New York Post mocked her look as more “socialite than socialist.”
The article unleashed a storm of debate over class, image, and hypocrisy in politics. Critics accused the couple of undermining Mamdani’s “working-class affordability agenda,” claiming her fashion choice clashed with his democratic socialist ideals. Twitter accounts like @CityDeskNYC amplified the outrage, turning what should’ve been a celebratory moment into a “Socialite vs. Socialist” culture war.
But just as quickly, the backlash to the backlash took over. Defenders flooded social media with comparisons to Melania Trump, calling out what they saw as a sexist and politically motivated double standard. Images of Melania’s eye-wateringly expensive designer pieces—a $51,500 coat, a $40,000 Hermès bag, and couture gowns—circulated with captions like, “But $630 boots are a scandal?” One viral post summed it up: “Where was this energy when Melania wore head-to-toe Dior?”
It didn’t take long for the real story to emerge. According to Mamdani’s senior advisor, Zara Rahim, the entire outfit—including the controversial boots—was borrowed. Fashion editor-turned-stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, known for her outspoken political views, curated Duwaji’s ensemble for the inauguration, intentionally selecting borrowed and rented pieces in line with sustainable fashion practices.
Karefa-Johnson later addressed the uproar on her blog Brain Matter, writing, “People online clearly don’t understand what it means to borrow a sample that’s been lent before and will be lent again. But that’s okay.” She revealed that the boots were on loan directly from Miista, the vintage Balenciaga coat came from the Albright Fashion Library, and the earrings and shorts were sourced from New York Vintage and The Frankie Shop. “I love that she’s adding to the story of garments that have lived many lives,” she wrote.
Despite the online spectacle, the inauguration remained deeply meaningful. Duwaji stood by her husband’s side, holding two Qurans—one from Mamdani’s grandfather and another from Harlem’s Schomburg Center—as he took his oath in the historic City Hall subway chamber. Later, for a second ceremony, she wore a brown coat by Palestinian-Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej, continuing her quiet statement of cultural pride and mindful fashion.
In the end, what began as a boot scandal turned into something far more telling: a snapshot of the contradictions that come with public life in the age of social media—where a borrowed pair of shoes can ignite global debate over class, image, and identity.
