Back in 1998, Luc Carpentier, owner of the legendary vintage store Naughty I, decided the first weekend of September could use a little more color. His infamous store was located in the Kammenstraat, Antwerp's #1 alternative shopping street, where Laundry Day saw it's first few editions come to life. Since then, the festival has majorly blown up, from 500 to 60.000 attendees, moved locations several times and simply became the epitome of the EDM DJ culture of the last decade. Laundry Day has been booming! But sometimes you gotta go back to the roots ...
That's why “Laundry Luc” and booker Hans Machiels (aka DJ Murdock) are returning back to the roots of Laundry Day. In the early days, Laundry Day wasn't just the massive electro DJ's festival it has become in the last couple of years, it was also a place for fashion and performance. That's why, next to the DJ's, Laundry Day has returned to programming live rappers like Tourist LeMC, Woodie Smalls, TheColorGrey and a live set by the four-piece electronic band Club Cheval amongst many others. This translates into a more diverse festival, with more musical genres and it's associated subcultures offered to a wide audience.
Speaking of subcultures, let us not forget the actual laundry you'll have the day after Laundry Day Festival! Hello, fashionlovers! Returning to Laundry Day: Naughty I, the legendary vintage store from Laundry Day founder Luc Carpentier. Customers of the original Naughty I store have included Basement Jaxx, Texas and the iconic Debbie Harry from Blondie. You'll be able to buy Naughty I vintage with your Laundry Day food & drink vouchers. All items are limited and are expected to go very, very fast!
So come down to Antwerp's leftbank and get your boogie-woogie washy-washie on with hundreds of DJ's, live-acts, fashion, a view on the old city and an estimated 60,000 people in attendance.
Text by Laurent James.