Zohran Mamdani’s suit reflects his background and political image

Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected New York City mayor, was sworn in at a private ceremony wearing a sober black overcoat, a crisp white shirt and an Eri silk tie by Kartik Kumra, styled by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson; throughout his campaign he was almost always seen in a suit. Commentators say the suit now occupies a fraught place in public life: Derek Guy notes it has declined as everyday wear since the second world war and is largely reserved for formal occasions, and describes Mamdani’s look as a loosely tailored, modern suit with soft shoulders that reads as a typically middle‑class millennial style.

Mamdani’s preferred label is Suitsupply, priced in the £400–£1,200 range, which Guy says aligns with his background and may resonate with voters in their 30s and 40s. The article links those sartorial choices to his proposed policies, which include a rent freeze; building 200,000 permanently affordable, union‑built, rent‑stabilised homes; fare‑free public buses; and universal early‑childhood care.

Scholars add further context: Matthew Sterling Benson‑Strohmayer highlights the suit’s military and colonial origins and its role as protective armour for non‑white politicians, while David Kuchta describes the garment as symbolic and notes the code‑switching and double standards minorities face when adopting it.

Key Topics

Culture, Zohran Mamdani, Suitsupply, Kartik Kumra, New York City, Gabriella Karefa-johnson