SPECIAL LIVERY - STARLUX Airlines and Pantone Announce New Standard for Metallic Aircraft Liveries with AIRSORAYAMA Silver and Gold Custom finishes bring Hajime Sorayama’s liquid-metal aesthetic to STARLUX’s A350-1000, redefining the aesthetics of aviation

Two new colors have emerged from the STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA project, with Pantone translating acclaimed Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama’s signature metallic aesthetic into bespoke aviation colors. Developed in a collaboration between STARLUX Airlines and global color authority Pantone, these colors serve as the defining element of the STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA aircraft, a three-year initiative that required solving technical problems never before confronted at this scale.

On the AIRSORAYAMA aircrafts, Sorayama’s iconic metallic “silver” and “gold” aesthetic are translated to precision-engineered shades designed for consistent reproduction. The result, visible at scale on STARLUX’s Airbus A350-1000, is a fluid, liquid-metal effect that shifts in depth and tone depending on viewing angle and lighting conditions, transforming the aircraft fuselage into a striking visual statement.

“This time we aren't just tuning color, we are tuning light.” said Laurie Pressman, Vice President of Pantone Color Institute™. “Through specialized formulation, all visible shimmer particles were removed to achieve an almost liquid smoothness. They embody future luxury—not the ostentation of traditional gold and silver, but a quiet confidence: precise, elegant, and technologically refined. ”

The project united STARLUX, Airbus, and German premium coating specialist Mankiewicz around a fundamental challenge: Sorayama’s signature mirror-like metallic finishes could not be used on the Airbus A350-1000 due to aviation safety, structural, and lightning-protection requirements. A new technical solution needed to be developed.

The solution was a family of high-concentration mica-based pigments capable of producing reflective metallic luster while meeting the rigorous standards of commercial aviation. After extensive testing and validation, the formulation underwent more than 10 iterative adjustments before receiving final approval from Sorayama himself. This process yielded the signature finishes of the AIRSORAYAMA Silver and Gold aircrafts. 

With the formula approved, engineers implemented a precision multi-layer coating process to apply the colors at aircraft scale, balancing visual performance with engineering requirements. It took a team of 16 specialists over 20 days to complete the livery. 

The STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA livery marks a new milestone in commercial aviation—establishing that color science, artistic collaboration, and aerospace engineering can be integrated at the highest level of craft. “STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA | PANTONE - Colors That Capture Light” documentary is available here: https://youtu.be/X9vWlWHSF90 

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