Fashion designer Andile Cele, known for his brand Scotch is Dope, suffered a loss when his entire collection was destroyed in a fire at his studios on Thursday. Everything was reduced to ashes at the label's shop and studio at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg.

HE LOST EVERYTHING

The fire happens only weeks after Cele, who is the founder and CEO of the label, returned from Moscow in Russian, where he was showcasing his designs at the Moscow Fashion Week.

It is unclear what started the fire, but it is believed it was caused by a geyser burst, which ignited a fire. Speaking to ZiMoja, Cele said he is beyond devastation. He said he could not believe his eyes when he walked into his studio on Friday morning to find the place in ashes. "It still feels like a bad dream. This is a major setback," he said. Cele lost all the new collections he showcased at the Moscow Fashion Week. To add salt to injury, he said he lost some of his customers' orders, including stock that was in the storage that also burnt down. The fire not only destroyed his clothes, sketches, and old catalogues, but it also destroyed important documents. "I had important archives of my old collections that I was keeping as a reference. They are all destroyed, and those are important collectibles I was saving," added the designer, who has dressed celebrities like

Scoop Africa, the late rapper Ricky Ricky, Okmalumekoolkat, actor Thapelo Mokoena, Durban rapper Zulu Boy, Big Brother presenter Lawrence Maleka, and The River actor.

DAMAGES COULD RUN INTO A MILLION

Cele also confirmed that the damage could run into more than a million Rand. A source at Constitutional Hill said Cele had reported faulty electricity, but he was ignored by the caretaker of the building and the owners. "He did report the matter. I think he had issues with plugs at first, but you know people like to cut corners. Look now, the poor guy's studio has burnt down," said the source. Cele concluded: "I have put all my hard work towards the store and my studio. This is disheartening." An official at Constitutional Hill who refused to be named said they did not have a public relations officer who would comment on the matter. "We only outsource PR when we need to issue our press statement. I really can't help you, sorry," the official said.