To obtain a coating material composition capable of forming a new silky-toned coating film unlike conventional metallic- or optical interference- toned ones and excellent in design by including flaky particles of bismuth oxychloride and an organic solvent.

This coating material composition is obtained by including (A) flaky particles. of bismuth oxychloride and (B) an organic solvent. The component A can be produced, for example, by precipitating and growing crystal obtained by reacting bismuth nitrate with hydrochloric acid into flaky particles. It is desirable that the flaky particles each having tetragonal to octagonal shape with a longitudinal length of 5 to 15 μm, especially 7 to 12 μm, and thickness of 0.001 to 1 μm, especially 0.01 to 0.08 μm. The component B to be used is e.g. a hydrocarbon-based solvent, ester-based solvent, ketone-based solvent, ether-based solvent. It is desirable that the weight ratio of the component A to the component B is such that the component A is at 1 to 30 wt.%, especially 2 to 7 wt.%, and the component B is at 99 to 70 wt.%, especially 98 to 93 wt.% based on the total amount of the components A and B.