Sarah Larranaga: The Design Behind Robb Report’s SlivAir Recognition

Mark Fords | Beyond the Pink: How Sarah Larranaga Turned Paris Hilton’s SlivAir Into an Award-Recognized Private Jet Design | Discover how Sarah Larranaga transformed Paris Hilton’s Gulfstream G450 into SlivAir, earning Robb Report Best of the Best 2026 recognition.

A private jet can be more than a means of transportation. For an owner with a distinctive public identity, it can become a personal statement—one that communicates style, personality, and brand recognition even before passengers step aboard.

That idea is at the center of SlivAir, the customized Gulfstream G450 associated with entrepreneur and global personality Paris Hilton. Designed by aviation designer Sarah Larranaga, the aircraft combines a highly recognizable visual identity with the technical requirements of a functioning business jet.

The project attracted international attention, including recognition in Robb Report’s 38th annual Best of the Best Awards for 2026, in its aviation category, Best in Wings. The recognition highlights the custom interior transformation of SlivAir and brings renewed attention to the role of specialist designers in modern private aviation.

But what makes SlivAir particularly interesting is not simply its distinctive pink aesthetic. It is the way the project translates a recognizable personal brand into a coordinated aircraft design—one that involves interior detailing, exterior finishes, passenger technology, specialist suppliers, and aircraft completion expertise.

What Is SlivAir, and Who Designed Paris Hilton’s Private Jet?

SlivAir is a customized Gulfstream G450 associated with Paris Hilton. The aircraft’s design was led by Sarah Mespelt Larranaga, professionally known as Sarah Larranaga, an aviation designer and project manager specializing in private aircraft interiors and transformations.

The project brought together Hilton’s recognizable visual identity and a detailed aircraft customization program. Its design extends across the cabin, exterior paint, branded elements, passenger amenities, lighting, and onboard technology.

According to StandardAero’s published SlivAir project profile, Larranaga worked with the company as its maintenance, modification, and installation service provider. StandardAero contributed airframe maintenance, refurbishment, installation, and project support to help deliver the aircraft.

This distinction matters: SlivAir was not simply a decorative interior makeover. It involved coordinated work across multiple aircraft systems and specialist disciplines.

The result is a private jet in which the exterior and interior communicate one cohesive design concept.

Why Robb Report Recognized the SlivAir Design

Robb Report’s Best of the Best awards recognize notable achievements across the luxury market, including aviation.

For its 2026 edition, Sarah Larranaga received recognition in the Best in Wings category for her custom interior design work on Paris Hilton’s SlivAir Gulfstream G450.

The recognition places the project within a broader conversation about how private aircraft are being customized to reflect the identities and expectations of their owners.

In the case of SlivAir, the design challenge was especially distinctive. Paris Hilton has a highly recognizable personal brand, and the aircraft needed to express that identity through more than a few decorative details.

The design had to carry a consistent visual language throughout the passenger experience—from the aircraft exterior and branded airstairs to the cabin finishes, seating, lighting, and onboard amenities.

It also had to function as an aircraft interior, with the practical considerations that come with aviation design.

That combination of brand expression and technical execution is what makes the project relevant beyond celebrity aviation.

For further details on the award, see Sarah Larranaga’s announcement of her Robb Report Best of the Best recognition.

The Design Details That Make SlivAir Distinctive

SlivAir demonstrates how a private jet interior can be customized around a specific personality rather than relying on a conventional luxury aesthetic.

Its defining features include:

1. A distinctive Paris Pink exterior

The aircraft features a custom-developed Paris Pink finish alongside metallic white and pearl elements.

StandardAero’s SlivAir project documentation describes the exterior paint development and application, together with the branded graphics and identifying details associated with Hilton and SlivAir.

2. A personalized cabin interior

The cabin includes custom seating, pink leather accents, branded seatbelt buckles, and carefully coordinated finishes.

The design extends the aircraft owner’s identity into the passenger environment without treating the cabin as a collection of unrelated decorative elements.

3. Custom headliner artwork

One of the project’s recognizable features is its custom graphic headliner, incorporating pink cloud imagery and other visual details that reinforce the SlivAir identity.

This demonstrates how aircraft interiors can incorporate bespoke artwork while remaining part of a coordinated cabin design.

4. Customized passenger amenities

The aircraft incorporates personalized amenities, including a makeup refrigerator, custom storage solutions, and other tailored cabin features.

These details show how private jet customization can address the owner’s actual lifestyle and preferred passenger experience—not just the appearance of the cabin.

5. Integrated cabin technology

The project includes a custom cabin management system, passenger controls, a premium ALTO sound system, and a dynamic lighting system.

It also incorporates high-speed connectivity through Starlink.

These systems help make the cabin a functional environment for travel, entertainment, and personal use.

The StandardAero SlivAir project profile provides further details on the aircraft’s custom interior, exterior, avionics upgrades, lighting, and passenger systems.

The significance of these details is that they were developed as part of a larger aircraft transformation. The design is not limited to visual styling; it considers how passengers interact with the aircraft throughout the journey.

The Engineering Behind a Luxury Private Jet Interior

A private jet interior must satisfy requirements that are very different from those of a residential or commercial interior.

Aircraft designers work within constraints involving weight, materials, installation methods, structural considerations, electrical systems, passenger safety, and applicable aviation regulations.

A design concept may look impressive on a mood board, but it must also be translated into materials, components, and installations appropriate for the aircraft.

This is where engineering coordination becomes essential.

For a project such as SlivAir, the process involves collaboration among the designer, aircraft maintenance and modification specialists, installation teams, and technology suppliers.

The objective is to ensure that the finished aircraft delivers the intended passenger experience while respecting the technical requirements of the platform.

The work can involve several interconnected areas:

• Material selection: Cabin materials and finishes must be appropriate for aircraft use and applicable certification requirements.
• Interior fabrication: Custom seating, cabinetry, panels, and other components must be designed for the aircraft’s configuration.
• Technology integration: Entertainment, connectivity, lighting, and cabin management systems must work together.
• Installation coordination: Design specifications must be translated into practical installation requirements.
• Aircraft maintenance and modification: The project must be coordinated with qualified aviation specialists responsible for the aircraft work.

The SlivAir project illustrates why luxury aircraft design requires more than visual creativity. The designer must understand how the creative direction interacts with the aircraft’s technical environment.

Why StandardAero Was an Important Project Partner

Aircraft customization is a collaborative process.

For SlivAir, StandardAero served as the maintenance, modification, and installation service provider. Its involvement included airframe MRO expertise, design support, workmanship, and project coordination.

The company’s published project description identifies several areas of work, including:

• Interior fabrication, upholstery, and installation
• Custom seating and cabin finishes
• Exterior paint development and application
• Avionics and aircraft-related maintenance activities
• Inspection and maintenance work
• Coordination of vendors, suppliers, and project requirements

The partnership demonstrates how a designer’s concept is translated into an aircraft through the work of specialized aviation teams.

It also reinforces an important principle in private jet design: a successful aircraft transformation depends on the coordination of multiple disciplines, not on the designer working in isolation.

Sarah Larranaga’s Approach to Bespoke Private Jet Design

Sarah Larranaga approaches private aircraft design through a combination of creative direction, aircraft knowledge, and project coordination.

Her professional portfolio includes work involving manufacturers and platforms such as Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault Falcon, Boeing, and Airbus, as presented on her official website.

Her work is not limited to selecting colors, furniture, and finishes. It involves understanding the aircraft, coordinating with specialist teams, and developing a design that can be implemented within the realities of aviation completion.

The SlivAir project is a useful example of this approach.

The aircraft needed to communicate Paris Hilton’s personality while retaining the functional qualities expected of a luxury private jet. That required a consistent concept across the cabin, exterior, amenities, and technology.

For owners considering a similar transformation, the lesson is straightforward: the strongest private jet designs begin with a clear understanding of the owner’s needs and continue through the technical and operational stages of completion.

Explore more of Sarah’s work through her aircraft design portfolio and awards and press archive.

What SlivAir Reveals About the Future of Private Jet Customization

The project points to several important directions in luxury aviation.

First, personalization is becoming more comprehensive. Owners may want their aircraft to reflect a personal brand, corporate identity, lifestyle, or preferred way of traveling. This can influence everything from the exterior livery to the smallest cabin details.

Second, technology is part of the luxury experience. High-speed connectivity, integrated entertainment, cabin management, and adaptable lighting are increasingly important considerations in modern aircraft interiors.

Third, design must account for the aircraft’s long-term use. A visually distinctive cabin still needs practical layouts, appropriate materials, maintainability, and coordination with aircraft specialists.

Finally, project management is critical. A complex aircraft transformation may involve numerous suppliers, technical teams, and installation requirements. Clear coordination helps align design intent with the work required to complete the aircraft.

SlivAir brings these considerations together in a project that is visually recognizable and technically complex.

From SlivAir to the Next Generation of Bespoke Aircraft Interiors

The Robb Report recognition adds an important milestone to Sarah Larranaga’s professional portfolio, but the larger significance of SlivAir lies in what the project demonstrates about contemporary private jet design.

A luxury aircraft interior is not simply a beautiful space. It is an environment shaped by the aircraft platform, the owner’s requirements, technical limitations, materials, systems, and the work of specialized aviation professionals.

For aircraft owners considering a Gulfstream G450 refurbishment, a Gulfstream G650 interior modernization, or a Bombardier Global 7500 cabin customization, these considerations are equally relevant.

Sarah Larranaga’s Los Angeles design studio specializes in private jets, with services that include custom interior design, exterior livery design and branding, avionics integration, and engineering and certification coordination.

The objective is to connect creative direction with the practical requirements of aircraft design and completion.

Designed in Los Angeles. Engineered for the world.

For private aircraft owners, operators, and aviation professionals, the SlivAir project offers a compelling example of how a strong design vision can become a complete aircraft experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sarah Larranaga, Robb Report, and SlivAir

1. Who designed Paris Hilton’s SlivAir private jet?

Sarah Larranaga, formally Sarah Mespelt Larranaga, led the design of Paris Hilton’s customized Gulfstream G450, known as SlivAir. The project included custom cabin interiors, exterior branding, and personalized aircraft features.

2. What Robb Report award did Sarah Larranaga receive in 2026?

Sarah Larranaga was recognized in Robb Report’s 38th annual Best of the Best Awards for 2026, in the Best in Wings aviation category, for her custom interior design work on Paris Hilton’s SlivAir Gulfstream G450.

3. What aircraft is SlivAir?

SlivAir is a customized Gulfstream G450 associated with Paris Hilton. Its transformation includes a distinctive Paris Pink exterior, bespoke cabin finishes, personalized amenities, and integrated passenger technology.

4. What makes SlivAir different from a conventional luxury private jet?

SlivAir was designed around a cohesive personal brand identity. Its exterior, cabin finishes, seating, lighting, passenger amenities, and technology were customized to create a consistent experience reflecting Paris Hilton’s style.

5. Did StandardAero work on the SlivAir Gulfstream G450?

Yes. StandardAero served as the maintenance, modification, and installation service provider, contributing airframe MRO expertise, refurbishment work, design support, installation, and project coordination.

6. What services does Sarah Larranaga offer for private jet owners?

Sarah Larranaga’s Los Angeles design studio specializes in private jet design services, including custom aircraft interior design, exterior livery design and branding, avionics integration, and engineering and certification coordination.

7. Does Sarah Larranaga work on aircraft beyond the Gulfstream G450?

Her professional portfolio includes design work involving Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault Falcon, Boeing, and Airbus aircraft. Specific project requirements depend on the aircraft platform and scope of work.

Plan a Bespoke Private Jet Design Consultation

Visit my Los Angeles Design Studio

For aircraft owners and aviation professionals exploring a private jet interior refresh, refurbishment, or complete customization, a studio consultation is an opportunity to develop a practical design direction.

A visit can help with:

• Defining the vision: Discuss cabin goals, aircraft use, passenger requirements, and the desired design identity.
• Reviewing materials and layouts: Explore interior finishes, seating concepts, color palettes, and functional design options.
• Planning the project: Discuss engineering and certification coordination, specialist suppliers, project timelines, and completion strategy.

To discuss a Gulfstream or Bombardier aircraft design project, visit SarahLarranaga.com or contact the studio through its official website.

About Sarah Larranaga

Sarah Larranaga (Sarah Mespelt Larranaga) is an aviation designer and project manager specializing in bespoke private jet interiors and aircraft transformations. Her portfolio includes work involving Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault Falcon, Boeing, and Airbus aircraft. Her approach combines custom interior design, exterior livery and branding, avionics integration, and coordination with aviation engineering and completion specialists.

Her design work on Paris Hilton’s SlivAir Gulfstream G450 received recognition in Robb Report’s 2026 Best of the Best Awards, in the Best in Wings aviation category.

Official website: SarahLarranaga.com