Mamdani, Schlossberg, and the Rise of 'Aesthetically...

By Melissa Fleur Afshar

Life and Trends Reporter

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Whether you like him, his politics or not, most commentators can agree that mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has charisma.

With his Gen Z wife, artist Rama Duwaji, the pair present a breezy, youthful image that feels to some more like a brand campaign than a political movement. Their loved-up wedding photos—shot on film during New York's subway rush hour—has ignited discussion about whether we are seeing a new kind of politician: "aesthetically literate," culturally fluent, and effortlessly cool.

The couple have been grouped with other image-forward figures like Jack Schlossberg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and even 84-year-old Bernie Sanders, whose meme-ified mittens went viral a few years ago. But are we really witnessing the rise of the “aesthetically literate” political figure? Or has a memorable image always been a part of the job? And does any of it actually matter when it comes to their political promise?

The question has gained attention online, in part, thanks to a post from @fooleryco to the Meta-owned platform, Threads, captioned: “Not to be dramatic but we’re witnessing the dawn of the aesthetically literate politician.”

Alongside 34-year-old Mamdani’s subway wedding photos, the post included an image of Schlossberg, grandson of John F. Kennedy, riding a bicycle mid-motion with two blooming bouquets of pink tulips in hand. The photo, taken from Schlossberg’s Instagram, coincided with his announcement to run for New York’s 12th Congressional District in the 2026 election.

Social media users quickly began swooning over Schlossberg following the news, despite the fact that the 32-year-old's political CV is rather bare in part due to his youth, and he does not have so much experience running things.

The post has been liked more than 32,000 times, drawing a flurry of comments from viewers who shared that they agree with the sentiment. Several brought up other political figures who they feel have got good at looking cool.

“They come across as earnest at a time when a lot of older politicians are viewed as stale, scandal-ridden, or checked out,” Andrellos Mitchell, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and cultural commentator, told Newsweek. “And of course, promising ‘free stuff’ never hurts with certain voters.”

Still, Mitchell argued: “This isn’t some deep new trend. Politics has always borrowed from acting…And New York has its own thing going on—loud, crowded, dramatic, and convinced that those traits equal authenticity. A lot of what goes viral from New York politicians is just the city’s culture spilling onto the internet."

He added that political figures like Mamdani and Schlossberg benefit from being photogenic or playing up a certain look that is typically received well online.

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Experts agree that what has changed is not the existence of image politics or being a bit better looking by chance, but the visual grammar used to convey it and how those looks are used.

“What we’re seeing with Mamdani and Schlossberg is the rise of the ‘aesthetically literate’ political figure, someone who understands how imagery, tone, and cultural relevance shape modern political identity,” Michelle Glogovac, host of the podcast My Simplified Life, told Newsweek.

Glogovac credits Duwaji, a 28-year-old illustrator often found contributing to media publications, as “the creative brain behind much of [Mamdani’s] visual identity.”

That identity, she said, speaks directly to younger millennial and Gen Z voters.

“[They] read visuals the way previous generations read op-eds,” she said. “They pick up on cues: Is this person grounded? Are they self-aware? Are they in touch with the culture? And do they look like someone who’s living life alongside us rather than above us?"

Andrellos agreed: "The younger generations gravitate toward anyone who seems 'real,' even if 'real' just means loud, dramatic, or visually interesting. But as for downsides, yes, image can eclipse substance."

The result is a political aesthetic defined not by polish, primness or authority, but by relatability and cultural fluency.

“A photo of Mamdani and his wife in a subway-wedding photoshoot, or Schlossberg holding flowers on a bike, signals a lived-in humanity,” Glogovac said. “AOC posing for GQ, or Bernie looking cold in mittens, creates a cultural shorthand: ‘This person is part of our world.’

"It’s relatability that is being artfully communicated visually, not staged stoicism or political theater."

Giovanni Bordone, a marketing lecturer and former stylist turned image consultant, told Newsweek that he also sees the hand of intentional strategy at play when it comes to Mamdani's rise to the top.

“Mamdani's style—being young, Muslim and from a BAME background—works to elevate his image…To establish credibility, appear more mature, appeal to Wall Street investors but still retain a touch of ethnic identity while at the same time speaking to a large Western audience,” he said.

That strategy extends down to grooming choices and outfits, especially knowing that they will be heavily photographed, shared online and dissected.

“Beard? Yes, but always trimmed. Clothing? Yes, a suit and tie, consistently styled, yet with occasional ethnic touches to signal belonging,” Bordone said. "His team’s masterpiece was the ability to appeal simultaneously to the white working-class 'average Joe' who sees him as 'different' but not too different, an acceptable distance that does not create dissonance with the American cultural system, the Muslim conservative family, and the young, multicultural, international Gen Z New Yorker."

As for Duwaji, he noted: “Her image is a bit different: more natural, more genuine, less obviously built, more spontaneous—all traits that Gen Z absolutely adores.”

Still, as Andrellos warned, image-building can be a double-edged sword.

“In a marcomm landscape that demands authenticity, he will potentially be seeing a backfire to some of his current wins as time goes on," Leo Napper, a cultural anthropologist, told Newsweek. "But I do believe that Mamdani's PR is completely planned out to appeal to Gen Z, including zillennials, of course, as well as other key voter demographics."

Snigdha Sur, CEO of NYC-headquartered media company, The Juggernaut, provided Newsweek with some further context to Mamdani’s recognizable image.

“He was once a rapper named Mr. Cardamom,” she said, noting the influence of his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair. “Mamdani's rise uses a bit of a different visual language than other folks—warmer, Bollywood colors—to also seem more approachable and ‘South Asian,' allowing folks to even overlook whether his policies benefit them.”

Still, critics of style-forward politics caution against confusing good vibes, social media clout among Gen Zers of a left-wing persuasion and quirkiness with real value.

“Once politicians learn that a photoshoot or a meme gets more attention than policy, they start leaning into the performance,” Mitchell said.

Glogovac agrees, acknowledging the tension: “The downside is that aesthetics really can be confused for substance. A good ‘vibe’ doesn’t make someone a good legislator, and charisma doesn’t replace policy.”

But, she added that voters today are not easily swayed or even manipulated by curated images.

"They’re responding to a culture where authenticity is the currency," Glogovac said. "And where political storytelling happens visually, not through press releases and stump speeches.”

Newsweek reached out to @fooleryco for more information via email.

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