Brussels Airlines will launch a new Belgian Icon soon. After a call for designs, the Belgian airline received over 900 submissions from the Belgian public. An internal jury selected 15 of those designs. Now, the public voting has been launched to select the final top five.
The interest to design the next Belgian Icon was huge – from professional artists to students in art schools: the people who submitted designs were as diverse as the designs themselves. The most popular categories for designs were cycling, art nouveau, Folon and Adolphe Sax but also Lucky Luke and Marsupilami.
An internal jury had to process all these designs to come to a top 15. The top 15 is now available on the Brussels Airlines’ website, where everyone can vote for their favorite design. This contest will be open for the public until October 11. The five designs with the most votes, will be presented to an external jury. This jury consists of various meritorious Belgians such as Alex Callier (Hooverphonic), Philippe Geluck (designer of ‘Le Chat’), Gabrielle Szwarcenberg (designer of the Brussels Airlines uniform) and many others. The jury will come together in Brussels on October 14 to choose the final design. However, this will remain secret until the aircraft will be revealed in spring 2025.
“We evaluated the designs based on several key criteria: the new Belgian Icon had to be distinct from any previous Icons, represent something that makes all Belgians proud, and be recognized across the border. Of-course, the design also needed to meet certain standards of quality. We try to avoid clichés, as a Belgian Icon should invite people to explore and experience the richness of what Belgium has to offer”, says Michel Moriaux, Head of Marketing, Brussels Airlines.
The idea behind the Belgian Icons is to introduce the best of Belgium to the world. The Belgian Icons are known all over the world and make flying even more fun. Brussels Airlines’ first Belgian Icon, Rackham, was introduced in 2015 and pays tribute to Tintin, the world-famous Belgian comic.
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In April this year, Amare was presented to the world which is the most recent Belgian Icon in cooperation with music festival Tomorrowland. The third Belgian Icon currently in the fleet is Trident, the official plane of the Belgian Red Devils and Red Flames, respectively the male and female national football teams.
These are the previous Belgian Icons
– Magritte was part of the fleet between 2016 and 2021. The aircraft was a homage to René Magritte, the Belgian surrealistic painter.
– Aerosmurf smurfed the fleet between 2018 and 2023. This plane also took shape during a design contest organized by Brussels Airlines.
– Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a Belgian icon from the 16th century, traveled the world between 2019 and 2023.
Source & visuals: Brussels Airlines
