Why do RVs have these ugly swoops?

This swoopy, swishy paint job defines the RV aesthetic. 

You’ve seen it on the highway: a giant RV, lumbering by with its exterior totally covered in swishes and swoops. Those swoopy lines of paint seem to grace the sides of every recreational vehicle, and for decades they’ve defined the RV aesthetic. But where did they come from?

In this video, producer Estelle Caswell heads to Elkhart, Indiana — the global capital of RV production — to investigate why these swoops are everywhere, and whether they’re here to stay. While there, she explores Elkhart’s RV history museum and library, and speaks to RV designers who love and hate the swoops.

Will RV makers be forced to change their infamous look to appeal to younger generations obsessed with clean aesthetics? Or are we stuck with this look for the next 20 years? Check out the video to find out.

This video is the first of five in our travel design miniseries. Tune in next week on our YouTube channel to see why train travel has a bad reputation in the US.