A COSTUMIER from West End show Wicked has bewitched Crystal Palace with a new shop almost a century after her great-great-grandmother ran a fish and chip chain in the same area.
Liz Perridge, 30, bought a touch of glamour to Westow Hill with the opening of Brave Girl Gifts on Saturday (September 7), a boutique which supports up-and-coming artists and designers.
The costume fashionista is following in her family's footsteps as her great-great-grandmother, Rosina Newcombe, ran four local fish shops in Crystal Palace - in Rommany Road and Hamilton Road - in the 1920s.
It was later taken on by Rosina's daughter (and Liz's great-grandmother) Alice Ethel Beales.
Liz was born and raised in the area and went to St Andrew’s High School in Croydon and went on to study at the London College of Fashion.
For the last decade she has honed her skills in West End shows as a costumier and dresser, most recently with hit show Wicked which has allowed her to indulge her passion for vintage styles.
Lizis now combining her theatre work with running the store.
She said: “The opening went really well and the shop is looking ridiculously full.
“The items you’ll find in Brave Girl Gifts have certainly been inspired by my love of theatre and you won’t find them in other stores or online.
“It’s important to me I champion the work of local designers and create a shop that is loved by our community.
“You’ll certainly see some of my passion for the local area in the store, with everything from Crystal Palace dinosaur jewellery to anti-beast of Sydenham Hill charms.”
Visit Brave Girl Gifts at 86a Westow Hill or visit bravegirlgifts.co.uk/contact.html
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