NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's fashion decoded: Dark suit, silver rings and red sutra

NEWLY elected New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has not only made history as the city’s first Muslim and South Asian-origin mayor but has also caught global attention for his distinctive sense of style — a look that fuses symbolism, sentiment, and cultural heritage.

Mamdani’s signature accessories — three silver rings and a red sutra thread — have become part of his public persona. The 34-year-old leader, known for his progressive politics and grassroots campaigning, was seen wearing the same ensemble — a dark suit, red sutra around his wrist, and silver rings glinting under stage lights — during his victory celebrations earlier today.

In an interview with the New York Times, Mamdani said his rings carry deep personal meaning. He began wearing them after his grandfather’s death in 2013, as a way to stay connected to his memory.

One ring, he shared, was an heirloom from his paternal grandfather, who acquired it in Syria in 2007 and had it blessed. Another was a gift from his wife, artist Rama Duwaji, purchased in Tunisia, while the third is his simple wedding band.

“It’s who I’ve been before I decided to run for mayor, and who I’ll be after I’m the mayor of New York City,” Mamdani told The New York Times.

The red sutra — a thread often worn in South Asian culture as a symbol of faith, protection and continuity — stood out during his campaign appearances and victory night, resonating strongly with Indian audiences online.

Mamdani’s understated yet symbolic fashion has drawn comparisons to New York’s past mayors, whose personal styles often reflected their public personas — from Fiorello La Guardia’s working-class image to Edward Koch’s characteristic thumbs-up gesture.

Mamdani’s accessories are not merely aesthetic choices but reflections of his identity — as a millennial, immigrant, and progressive leader bridging cultures. “A mayor’s hands can be part of the story he tells his constituents,” the report said.

For Mamdani, who is also filmmaker Mira Nair’s son and academic Mahmood Mamdani’s child, those hands tell a story that is both personal and political — one rooted in remembrance, love, and representation.