Long before limousines meant red carpets and celebrity arrivals, the word belonged to shepherds!
In the Limousin region of central France, shepherds wore a distinctive hooded cloak to shield themselves from harsh weather. Locals simply called it a limousine, after their homeland.
Early limousines were not long stretch cars. The term originally described a vehicle with an enclosed passenger cabin with a covered extension over the driver’s seat. This resembled those distinctive cloaks worn by shepherds. Another theory suggests chauffeurs themselves wore similar cloaks while driving exposed vehicles.
What began as humble rural outerwear quietly travelled centuries forward, draping itself over the world’s most glamorous vehicles. Not bad for a shepherd’s rain cover.
