The peace sign wasn’t just made to look cool—it was born out of protest. In 1958, British designer Gerald Holtom created it for a nuclear disarmament march, combining the semaphore signals for “N” and “D” (nuclear disarmament). One flag up, one down = “D”; both down at an angle = “N.” Stack them, and you get the iconic shape we know today.

Originally, Holtom saw it as a symbol of despair—a figure with arms down in hopelessness. But it didn’t stay that way. By the 1960s, it was everywhere: on protest signs, tie-dye shirts, and the global stage, symbolizing peace, unity, and hope.

From semaphore to counterculture, the peace sign became a universal call for calm in a chaotic world.