Chevrolet’s iconic bowtie emblem has a fascinating origin story—and it’s a bit of a mystery! One popular version says that co-founder William C. Durant was inspired by a pattern on wallpaper he saw in a French hotel in 1908. He reportedly tore off a piece to save the design, which later became the Chevy logo.

Another story, told by Durant’s wife, suggests the bowtie was inspired by a newspaper ad for coal in the shape of a similar emblem. Regardless of its origins, the bowtie has become one of the most recognizable symbols in the automotive world!