- The “Silver Sorayama” art plane, tailor-made by Starlux Airlines and renowned Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama (fly number B-58553), was delivered on the 3rd July at the Airbus delivery center in Toulouse, France.
- Chairman Chang Kuo-wei is flying the plane to Taiwan, and it is expected to arrive at Taoyuan Airport at 11:05 am on the 5th (Taiwan time).
- This is the first non-traditional design in the history of the Taiwanese carrier.
The Airbus A350-1000 “Silver Sorayama,” an art aircraft theme and Livery created in collaboration between Starlux Airlines and renowned Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, with registration number B-58553, was officially delivered at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse on July 3rd (French time).
Starlux Airlines Chairman Chang Kuo-wei will personally pilot the aircraft back to Taiwan, and it is expected to arrive at Taoyuan International Airport at 11:05 AM on July 5th (Taiwan time).
The STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA is a major collaboration between Taiwan’s luxury carrier STARLUX Airlines and legendary Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama.
The project transforms two Airbus A350-1000 aircraft—one finished in a metallic Silver (Reg: B-58553) and the other in Gold (Reg: B-58554)—into massive flying canvases, featuring Sorayama’s iconic liquid-metal robot artwork on the fuselage.
STARLUX stated that the “STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA” art project, which took three years to prepare, was presented as a top-tier art exhibition at the delivery ceremony.
The event combined reflective metallic materials, flowing lights, and exclusive sound effects to create an immersive art atmosphere. In addition to the official debut of “AIRSORAYAMA Silver,” “AIRSORAYAMA Gold” also made a surprise appearance, symbolizing the official launch of the cross-disciplinary art aviation project.
Chang Kuo-wei personally traveled to France to participate in the handover ceremony and will personally pilot the “Sky Silver” back to Taiwan. Starlux Airlines stated that the flight is scheduled to depart at 3 PM local time in France on July 4th and arrive at Taoyuan Airport on the morning of July 5th, Taiwan time, showcasing the highest level of integration between aviation and art.
The body combines Hiroshi Sorayama’s metallic aesthetics, presenting a “mechanical shark” and liquid silver visual design.
- The “AirSorayAMA Silver” fuselage inherits the iconic metallic aesthetics of Kiyoshi Sorayama, using silver as the main axis and gold as the secondary element, precisely presenting the “AIRSORAYAMA” co-branded logo on the fuselage, belly, wingtips, and top.
- The wingtips also subtly incorporate delicate metallic gradients; the belly transforms into the design of Sorayama’s classic “mechanical shark” through streamlined lines.
Zhai Jianhua, CEO of Starlux Airlines, said that the collaboration took three years from design to implementation, involving the integration of multiple technologies and fine-tuning of details. In the end, the metal aesthetics of Sora Sosa were successfully transformed into a physical aircraft fuselage, bringing passengers an unprecedented visual experience and artistic feeling.
This cross-industry collaboration is considered a significant milestone in the fusion of the aviation industry and contemporary art, showcasing not only the ultimate pursuit of aviation craftsmanship and design aesthetics but also bringing a fresh perspective to global aviation livery design.
The “AIRSORAYAMA Silver” fuselage design inherits Hajime Sorayama’s signature liquid metal style, using silver as the main color and gold as the secondary color, extending the “AIRSORAYAMA” co-branded logo to the fuselage, belly, wingtips, and top. The wingtips feature a metallic gradient treatment, while the belly incorporates the imagery of Sorayama’s classic “mechanical shark,” presenting a highly futuristic visual language.
Developed over three years with Airbus and coatings manufacturer Mankiewicz, the two planes are scheduled to enter commercial service in Q3 2026.
STARLUX Aviation pointed out that the biggest technical challenge this time was the fuselage painting process. Due to the carbon fiber fuselage and aviation regulations, STARLUX Aviation, Airbus, and paint brand Mankiewicz spent several months developing a high-concentration special mica and multi-layer coating technology to successfully break through the limitations of traditional painting and reproduce the metallic fluidity of Hajime Sorayama’s work while ensuring flight safety.
To celebrate the return of the “Silver” aircraft to Taiwan, STARLUX Airlines also announced the launch of a limited edition “STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA A350-1000 1:200 aircraft model”.
The Silver and Gold versions will be available for the first time at STARLUX stores on July 5 at 9:00 AM, and will be sold at flagship stores on July 6. They will also be available on the duty-free pre-order platform béshopping on July 11.
