Nike paid Carolyn Davidson $35 for the original Swoosh logo.
Davidson was a graphic-design student at Portland State University when Phil Knight asked her to create a logo for his growing footwear business. She produced the curved mark that became the Swoosh, and Nike selected it in 1971.
The modest payment is one of the most repeated stories in Nike’s history, especially because the logo later became one of the world’s most valuable brand symbols. Nike subsequently recognized Davidson’s contribution with additional compensation, including company stock and a diamond Swoosh ring.
The Swoosh is often incorrectly described as having been drawn to represent a wing. Its shape was influenced by movement and speed, while its association with the wing of the Greek goddess Nike developed as part of the brand’s mythology.