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Rama Duwaji Elevates Beirut Craft With First-Day Coat as NYC’s First Lady

The Renaissance Renaissance coat, described as fully sourced in Beirut, signals a strategy of using fashion to represent independent Middle Eastern designers.

Overview

  • Duwaji’s public inauguration look featured a custom brown faux‑fur and wool coat by Cynthia Merhej’s Renaissance Renaissance with a three‑tier fringe based on a fall 2023 design.
  • Renaissance Renaissance said the piece was completely made in Beirut, while stylist Gabriella Karefa‑Johnson highlighted a collaboration with the designer’s female family members.
  • Karefa‑Johnson framed the choice as intentional representation by selecting a small, Middle Eastern woman‑led label to communicate values through clothing.
  • For the private midnight swearing‑in, Duwaji wore rented vintage Balenciaga and archival gold earrings, with borrowed shorts and Miista boots, reflecting a borrow‑and‑rent approach detailed by Vogue.
  • Duwaji has previously used wardrobe choices to spotlight Palestinian talent, telling The Cut that wearing a Palestinian designer on election night was meant to send a message about Palestinians.