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The summer of 1967 is often referred to as “The Summer of Love”, the epicenter being the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco, but this mythical summer was a long time in coming and it’s impact reverberated across the seas and forward into early 70’s.  The tokens of subculture and the psychedelia-fueled aesthetic trickled up to the mainstream.  Early in the decade paisley, a traditional textile pattern originating in Persia, was seen as dangerous as it implied that one was delving into Eastern spirituality but by the end of the decade the pattern was on racks at major department stores. Even Playboy Bunnies had flower-power influenced outfits when the 60’s drew to a close.

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The summer of  ‘69 culminated in the monumental outdoor concert in Bethel, New York better known as Woodstock. As each decade following the seminal outdoor musical festival passes, fruits of the experience are leaked, relived, re-celebrated and re-released.  To commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the transformational Woodstock concert of 1969, a number of projects are coming to light.   Rhino Records has released Woodstock — 40 years on: Back to Yasgur’s Farm Boxed Set, Warner Brothers has teamed up with Amazon.com to release an exclusive disc of unreleased material in Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music Director’s Cut and  Brooklyn’s Prospect Park may host a 40th anniversary concert.   Even Getty Images has some newly uncovered Woodstock material to offer, such as Barry Z Levine’s coverage of the event in color.

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The New York Times noted recently that advertisers are feeling the groovy vibes too,  citing Ameriprise Financial’s 2006 campaign using Dennis Hopper as the beginning of an ad trend that is currently cresting with references to the 60’s counter-culture movement by retailers such as Geico, Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams, General Mills, Macy’s and Levi’s.  The Bloomingdale’s in downtown Manhattan shows mannequins holding Stone Wall Protest signs.  Obama’s election to the White house is listed as a catalyst for the sea change that calls to mind the tumultuous decade that has its very own PBS series, The Sixties.  The photos here aren’t from a hipster picnic at McCarren Park this weekend,  last seasons Urban Outfitters catalog, or a press photo for a New Wierd American Band, though they could pass.  They are a genuine depiction of an era gone by.   See more from the hippie side of the 1960’s here.

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