Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, faces heat over $630 designer boots worn at the swearing-in ceremony

Zohran Mamdani’s historic swearing-in as New York City’s new mayor was meant to be the headline moment. But online, the conversation quickly drifted, not to policy, not to politics, but to footwear.While Mamdani took the oath at a midnight ceremony, social media zeroed in on what his wife, artist Rama Duwaji, was wearing that night. Photos from the late-night event, held inside the abandoned City Hall Subway station, circulated widely and sparked a fresh debate over optics, wealth, and symbolism. In the images, Duwaji is seen wearing sleek black boots that Vogue later identified as designer footwear from fashion brand Miista. The boots, known as the “Shelley Boots,” retail for $630 a pair. According to the brand, they feature a 6-centimeter (2.3-inch) heel and a lace-up back. Once the price tag became public, criticism followed. Some users questioned how Duwaji could be wearing boots worth more than $600 while Mamdani has built his political identity around affordability and advocating for a more accessible New York.Photos from the abandoned subway station, dramatic, moody, and undeniably stylish, only amplified the attention.One user wrote, "Tough being a socialist when boots cost more than my rent."Another said, "Wealthy communists. It’s always the case. Should surprise no one."A third wrote, "We don't call them Champagne Communists for nothing."However, many were even defending Duwaji. A user wrote, "She dressed up for the biggest moment in her husband's life, oh the horror. I must have missed the $50,000 watch or $30,000 bracelets I see on MAGA women like Kristi Noem"A second user said, "$630 for a shoe at a NYC mayoral signing is not a flex. anything less would be disrespect to the city." Another asked, "and the problem is? Acting like she bought em with government money or something."Rama Duwaji's fashion had become topic of conversation long before her husband won the Mayoral race. Online, she’s often spotted in similarly modernist outfits. During the 34-year-old democratic socialist’s victory speech in November, Duwaji stood by his side in a dark denim square-neck top by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi, paired with a black skirt from Ulla Johnson, and accessorized with statement dangling earrings by New York City jewelry designer Eddie Borgo.In an interview with The Cut, Rama said, "I love fashion, and I love being creative and putting things together and styling things."