What’s old is new again at Halifax vintage shop

A Nova Scotia women is transforming vintage finds into wearable art.

Sam Hatfield, who owns Shotgun Vintage in downtown Halifax, takes thrifting to the next level.

Watches, T-shirts, jackets and fishing lures are just a few of the old items this business owner uses to create something new for her customers.

“I take clothing that has been stained or maybe would be thrown away in the thrift store and I pull them out, cut them up and rework them into something new that people will fight over,” says Hatfield. “It’s always been my passion, ever since I was a little kid. I was designing outfits for the Spice Girls, it’s just always been my happy place so I just decided to go full force.”

After graduating with a psychology degree from Saint Mary’s University, Hatfield went right into working, but not in her final career.

“I worked in mental health after I graduated, and I decided to go into fashion after I had kind of a traumatic experience in mental health. When I turned 30, I just completely changed my career path,” says Hatfield.

The business started out as a vintage shop on Instagram in 2018 and five years later turned into a brick-and-mortar spot.

“Some T-shirts weren’t selling so I pulled out my mom’s sewing machine and decided to start cropping them and I started cropping everything, learned how to sew a straight line and then I became addicted to sewing,” says Hatfield, who learned the craft via YouTube. “I started getting into actual garment construction, so a lot of trial and error. I would trace some of my old clothing to get like a shape and then learn how to sew it that way.”

Now she does it all, creating her own pieces and making old things new again.

“I patchwork things together, I embroider, I make mini-bags and tote bags out of old quilts, jackets out of quilts, jewelry out of old watches,” says Hatfield.

Hatfield says a skirt takes her about two hours, while a corset takes about three. Any patchwork could be up to six hours.

“I get my products from everywhere. I drive all over Nova Scotia to go thrifting. More so in the summer because right now the weather is kinda bad. So right now, when I can’t go too far, I just go to local thrift shops and I look for T-shirts, sweaters and just plain things that I can cut up and rework,” says Hatfield. “I think fast fashion is taking over the world obviously and there needs to be more sustainable ways to shop.”

Retail analyst Bruce Winder says vintage is a returning style.

“Vintage is definitely back, there’s a movement towards nineties culture and nineties items,” says Winder. “A lot of entrepreneurs are opening vintage stores, you know, it’s very nice so they can differentiate themselves from some of the box chains, too.”

Winder says retail is evolving and more people are leaning towards second hand.

“It’s really gotten popular over the last several years in part because people are economically challenged right now,” says Winder. “There’s an environmental play here. Consumers realize they can help save the planet by reusing items.”

Hatfield said her work is fulfilling because it allows her to revive old treasures and make something meaningful for customers.

“People feel a real connection with my work and they love to tell me and I love to hear it,” says Hatfield.

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