RAPAPORT... Back in the 1960s, hippies in the United States and around the world took to the streets to protest the Vietnam War, and the peace symbol became the recognized emblem of a generation that created a social sea change like none seen in recent history. The war ended, hippies became yuppies and the emblem of a rebellion faded into the background as part of the past.
Fast forward to 2008 — the fiftieth anniversary of the peace symbol — and it is once again ubiquitous. The peace symbol is showing up everywhere — on tee shirts, handbags, scarves and, of course, as a charm in jewelry. The difference is that this time it’s more personal than political. We live in an unsettled world and the peace symbol is a new statement of the heart, of people looking for tranquility in their own world. It is a sign that has transcended politics and religion to become an expression of a desire for harmony in one’s own life and the world at large. It speaks a common language among people of all ages seeking the same thing — peace of mind and peace in the world.
“We started doing the peace symbol right after 9/11,” recounts Saundra Messinger, designer for the Suffern, New York– based firm bearing her name.
She notes that her business is exploding because of her Perfect Peace Symbol pendant. “At that point, it seemed like a moment when the sentiment was important. It’s about peace, not just no war, but peace in the heart and in life and in how we approach the world.”
In the Beginning
One of the most recognized emblems in the world, the peace symbol was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a graphic designer in Great Britain. He created it as a badge for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) led by Britain’s Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War (DAC). Its design is based on the flag signals for the letters N and D, which stand for Nuclear Disarmament. The N is formed by a person holding two flags down in an upside down V pattern and the D is formed by holding one flag up and the other down. The peace symbol was created by superimposing the flag signals one on top of the other and then placing them in a circle.
The first peace symbols were baked ceramic pins and paper posters. These items premiered over Easter weekend in 1958 in London for the first DAC antinuclear march. The symbols were originally done in black and white and green and white, symbolizing death to life and winter to spring.
The symbol crossed the Atlantic to the U.S. quickly after Bayard Rustin, a friend of Martin Luther King Jr., went to England to take part in the Easter weekend march. He brought the symbol back to the U.S., where it was used in civil rights marches and later became associated as a pro-peace statement during the Vietnam War, when tens of thousands protested a war that was considered unjust by many throughout the world. The peace symbol caught on globally. It has been seen anywhere that people want peace instead of strife and has come to be seen as a sign of freedom as well as peace.
“On a deep, psychological level, our world is almost at eternal war,” remarks Todd Wolleman, president, Color Craft, New York. “We live in a warrior society, like a Spartan society. The peace symbol is a universal symbol for respect for life. It is still a form of protest; for some people, it is showing that we are not part of a warrior cult.”
It’s PersonalAs the world faces turbulent times, the peace symbol once again has come to the forefront of fashion that sends a message. “It’s a tranquility symbol recognized by everybody,” comments Chana Regev, principal of New York–based Carelle, whose Peace Symbol has one leg slightly off balance to represent that there is no true equilibrium in life. “It can open up to anybody. All ages are buying it — kids, adults. People want the same thing: peace. It’s the message that is out there. It gives us equilibrium where there is so much turmoil. Maybe we’re saying we don’t want chaos, we just want to live our lives.”
Designers have easy access to the peace symbol as it has never been copyrighted and is available for anyone to use for free and without permission. CND does suggest that if businesses using the symbol for commercial purposes wish to do so they can make a donation to the organization — cnduk.org — so that it can continue its peace education and information work.
Nancy Davis, founder of Peace & Love Jewelry in Los Angeles, California, combines her peace symbols with hearts. She believes that all people are looking for in this world is peace and love. In 2002, Davis did a charity event with Tommy Hilfiger, “Peace and Love to Erase MS.” The logo for the event was a heart with a peace sign in the middle. As a thank you to the celebrities involved in the event, Davis had pendants of the logo made up as gifts. The recipients liked the pendants so much that they wanted to buy them for friends, and a business was born.
“In this world, we are all looking for peace and love. In a troubled world, the peace symbol and heart resonates with people,” concludes Davis, who notes that the designs are crossgenerational. “Jewelry is often a gift and what is nicer to give someone than peace and love? Everyone wants that.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - October 2008. To subscribe click here.