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. On Friday 4 October 2024 the public voting was launched to select the final top five.

Brussels Airlines is proud to see that many Belgians and people living in Belgium were eager to design the next Belgian Icon. 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, Jean-Michel Folon and Adolphe Sax but also Lucky Luke and the Marsupilami.

An internal jury had to process all these designs to come to a top 15.

“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”, Michel Moriaux, Head of Marketing at Brussels Airlines says.

Top 15 to top 5

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 11 October 2024. 

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 from the band Hooverphonic; comic strip author Philippe Geluck, of ‘The Cat‘ (‘Le Chat‘, ‘De Kat‘), Gabrielle Szwarcenberg who designed the current Brussels Airlines uniform and many others. 

Spring 2025

The jury will come together in Brussels on 14 October to choose the final design. However, this will remain secret until the aircraft will be revealed in spring 2025.

“We’re very happy with the overwhelming response to our call for designs, with over 900 creative submissions. We could make at least 100 new Belgian Icons with the ideas we received. The number of outstanding entries highlights the talent and creativity in Belgium and the many reasons we Belgians can take pride in our heritage. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who submitted a design”, says Michel Moriaux.

The contestants

The contestants are:

• L’Air Nouveau by Stefaan Ooms, a nod to art nouveau.
• The Atomium by Thomas Faes.
• Lucky Luke – by Thibaud Va Elsué.
• Art Nouveau by Nicolas Bebronne.
• Folon by Isabelle Douillet de Pange.
• Marsupilami by Maxime Neufkens.
• Saxophone by Jordy Poffé and Aurélien Schilling.
• Flanders Fields by Gertjan De Smet and Fries Vansevenant.
• Mercator by Bart Daems.
• Pigeon Racing by Helouaoui Soade.
• The Flying Traveller by Gertjan De Smet and Fries Vansevenant, a nod to Manneken Pis.
• Shrimp Fishers by Allan De Paepe.
• Leader by Noah Stijnen, a no to competitive cycling.
• Panamarenko by Robbe Van Den Bosch.
• Marsupilami by Staf Claes.

About Brussels Airlines’ Belgian Icons

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.

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.

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