London ( CNN ) -- A year ago , Gisella Asante and her daughter Jan Asante found themselves standing in tears in the middle of broken glass , scattered clothes hangers , bits of wedding dresses and burnt pieces of fabric . Their small shop in south London had been targeted by a mob of looters during the city 's worst riots in two decades . It happened a few days after they celebrated the 20th anniversary of opening their business -- Gisella 's , a fashion workshop with designs inspired by the owners ' African roots . In just a few hours of riot madness , Gisella and Jan Asante lost 20 years ' worth of work . A display of valuable dresses made for high-profile celebrities : gone . Unique accessories , some from remote parts of the world : gone . Handmade jewelry : gone . Wedding dresses ready to be picked up by brides-to-be : gone . The overall loss is hard to estimate -- on top of all the things lost and damaged , business slowed down for months . `` We were boarded for three months , that 's how long it took , '' Jan said . `` People thought we folded , it felt like we were in prison , '' Gisella added . They estimate a loss of £30-40,000 ( $ 55,000-65,000 ) , but say it 's hard to put a number on it . `` The things are worth so much more . We made them all , they are irreplaceable , '' Jan said . Fast forward a year and the place looks like nothing had ever happened . The only visible reminder of last year 's events is a couple of wooden boards leaning against the wall . They used to cover the smashed windows . Watch video : London riots one year on . Now they serve as a notice board , with pictures and supportive letters from customers that flooded the boutique after the riots . `` People sent messages , emails , they phoned to say they were sorry , '' Jan said . The reaction was overwhelming . `` A friend of mine had to come in for a week just to answer the phone and reply to messages . It was like bereavement . '' The revival of the boutique is down to the Asantes ' loyal customers . `` Lots of our regular customers made an effort to help . They did n't really need anything , and they would still come and buy something . Our customers are amazing , '' Jan said . There was a point , they say , when they wanted to leave the shop closed and walk away . But the customers kept coming . `` Having the customers , the work , it kept us going , we were on autopilot , '' Jan said . `` It was exactly as the British say : 'Keep calm and carry on . ' '' Thank-you notes from clients are displayed all around Gisella 's . Many include wedding and honeymoon photos , as the boutique has long been a hotspot for brides who want something special . `` For the brides , weddings are about culture , '' Jan said . `` They want to express their heritage , even if they are very modern , and they always ask us how they can show where they come from and who they are . '' The traditional-meets-modern is the key to their success . Gisella , originally from Tanzania , came to London from Kenya , where her daughter Jan was born to a Ghanaian father . It may sound complicated , but the multicultural heritage of the two women is exactly what makes their clothes special . `` We are inspired by modern Africa , '' Jan said . `` We consider ourselves African , but are also Londoners , and that shows in our designs . '' Their dresses are a mixture of modern cuts , African-inspired prints and precious fabrics from all around the world . Picking up a beautifully shaped dress , Jan points out the fabric . It comes from a remote area in Nigeria , where it was handmade . Together with a Western-style cut , it makes for a special piece of couture . `` I always talk to our customers about the story behind fabrics , '' she said . `` It 's nice to walk around knowing where your clothes came from . '' The mother-daughter pair work as a team . Jan talks to the customers and prepares the designs , while Gisella is the one cutting the fabric and sewing . The workshop is strictly divided in two zones . Each woman has her own territory , where she rules . They say it works perfectly , even though they both admit there are clashes from time to time . `` She is my mum , you always have to do what your mum tells you to , '' Jan admitted . `` But we are also business partners . We have to negotiate and agree on everything . Sometimes it stretches your relationship to the limits . '' On the one-year anniversary of the looting the boutique was unusually quiet , and there was time for reflection . `` I could n't ask for a better daughter , '' Gisella said , doubting she would have been able to cope without her during the long months of recovery . Then suddenly , she turned to Jan and said : `` You have more strength than I thought you have . I 've seen you rise so much . I am proud of you -- I never had the time to tell you . ''
` ` ' 's '' boutique in London was destroyed by fire in last year 's riots . Having lost everything , the owners Gisella and David Asante think of cleaning up . A year later , their business is back on its feet and thriving . The pair 's dress designs are inspired by their African heritage .