Barrie Gillings was the designer, and with modest assistance with lettering by his father Dick Gillings, prepared a design which was octagon in shape to represent the R-R wheel hub. It had a laurel wreath, surmounted by a lion rampant and the radiator badge inside. A side view of the Spirit of Ecstasy was superimposed. K G Luke, who designed the 1956 Melbourne Olympics badges, was asked to manufacture it. They said the octagon shape was too hard, but would do a round badge.

Rolls-Royce HQ objected to the use of the intertwined R-Rs, so they were replaced with the Spirit of Ecstasy. It was decided that the laurel wreath was 'too busy', so it was replaced with the present trapezoidal shield, as used at the time by the Company.

Barrie recollects that several of the original foundation members, Sep Hall, Paul Samuels, himself and perhaps one or two others met informally over lunch at Sep Hall's house to discuss the badge and Barrie was given the task of engaging K G Luke to proceed with badge production.