Nike originally paid Carolyn Davidson $35 to design the Swoosh logo in 1971.
Davidson was a graphic-design student at Portland State University when Nike co-founder Phil Knight asked her to create a logo for his emerging sportswear business. She produced several options, and Knight selected the curved mark that became the Swoosh.
The Swoosh was intended to suggest motion and speed, while also echoing the wing of Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. Davidson later received Nike stock in 1983, after the company had grown dramatically.
A common mix-up is confusing the original design fee with Davidson’s later compensation. The famous $35 figure refers to the initial payment, not the value of the stock she eventually received.