Instead of attending the Met Gala, NYC Mayor released a statement in support of garment workers
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made headlines when he refused to attend the Met Gala. Instead, Mamdani released a statement in solidarity with garment workers on the night of the event. For the democratic socialist mayor, who ran on the promise of affordability, the decision to champion workers over mingling with A-listers isn’t such a surprise.
The mayor released an article titled “Work of Art: Turning the Lens on the Workers Who Power Fashion.” It featured several New York garment and retail workers, who came from various backgrounds.
Hafeez Raza came from Sialkot, Pakistan, and has been sewing since she was ten years old. She now runs a shop on Coney Island Avenue in Midwood.
Christopher Anderson was from Kingston, Jamaica, and chose to be a tailor at thirteen years old. With fifty years of experience, Anderson is a master tailor at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Sonia Castrejon, who came from Mexico, also learned to sew at thirteen. Through tailoring, Castrejon was able to migrate to the United States, and she now runs a free tailoring school in Brooklyn.
A message of solidarity
Latrice and Lamont from the Teamsters Union also made the cover of Mamdani’s press release. Both were former Amazon workers, and with the Teemsters, they advocate for fair pay and humane working conditions.
Earnestine Gay, a retail worker and member of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), has been fighting for worker protections for over twenty years. Her call to action for the next generation is “Join a union.”
The message is a love letter to workers everywhere. Without the people who sew, pack, and upkeep the shops, fashion would not thrive. The Met Gala may celebrate and fawn over the artistry of the clothes on the runway, but there is not enough spotlight given to the hands that made it possible. They’re almost always invisible factors in the long belt of production, but Mamdani gave these workers the much-needed shoutout they deserve.
Mamdani’s reason not to attend the Met Gala
In the past, mayors have received invitations and frequently attended the charity event, establishing a tradition. It’s not a requirement, but mayors would go at least once during their tenure. This would also be Mamdani’s first Met. Additionally, his first lady, Rama Duwaji, has been spoken of in fashion circles.
Anna Wintour, the Met Gala’s co-chair, has even praised Duwaji’s style. She told Vogue, “I’m full of admiration for New York City’s new first lady because she looks so cool and wears a lot of vintage—young and modern and also entirely herself.”
But although the gala is supposed to fund the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, the charity event has also faced scrutiny.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Laura Sanchez, became honorary chairs of the event. This alone has sparked a boycott because of the issues Amazon has with workers’ rights, as well as its involvement with the Israeli government.
But Bezos’ attendance may not be the reason why Mamdani refused to attend the Met Gala. Mamdani said that while he respects the Met, his “focus is also on affordability and making the most expensive city in the United States affordable.” Simply put, the mayor wants consistent messaging, and he’s standing on business—even if people would have loved to see him and his first lady in attendance.
(featured image: Rakhmat Suwandi)
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