Local artist creates custom textiles based on faith

“I’ve been an artist all my life,” textile designer and artist Faith Danielle White shared.

At the age of 8 in New York, her mother and grandmother taught her sewing skills, and at 14, she designed her first Easter suit for a girlfriend. Her work evolved into a retail boutique called Designer’s Choice where she designed wedding dresses, debutante gowns and fashions for 10 years.

White studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and started “by Danielle Designs,” both of which exposed her to the world’s finest fabrics.

In 1996, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church sent her and other delegates to South Africa to celebrate the church’s 100 years of service. White was disappointed to find that the AME robes worn by the clergy, which should have been uniquely and distinctively African, were made from European fabrics.

As a result, she said that she was “inspired to create our own heritage series and a fabric design that showed who we were and what we do.”

As a missionary on this trip, she became dedicated to her mission, “To be of service to faith in God by sharing the stories of the AME Church as art drawn into the fabrics of those of faith.” When it came to this new calling, White says it was a heavenly match between her and her husband, Henri White. “I asked God to bring him in my life and He did. He was on the other side of the world when I made that prayer, but a week later I met him.”

They were married soon after and spent their years together traveling to church conferences fulfilling their mission. “He was the person who made the business go, and I was the one who did the designing,” White said. Their business and passion, Robes of Faith, was born.

What began with one robe that would become known around the globe as the UNITY robe is now one of many of White’s iconic AME robes. Sketches of praise and faith adorn the robes and tell the story of the history and heritage of the AME church, which was started by slaves in Philadelphia “because black people were separated — allowed to come to church but (often) bodily pulled up and told not to sit at the prayer rail but at the balcony.”

One of those former slaves, Richard Allen, frustrated with the limitations of segregation, eventually established and became the first bishop of the AME church. A sketch of the cross and anvil represents this historical founding and is one of countless faith creations by White. “Danielle” is the signature beside the art when each plate is made for fabrication of Robes of Faith textiles because, White explained, “I didn’t want people to think Faith represents my company. I wanted people to only think about the spiritual meaning of the word faith and the mission.”

Faith-based clothing designed and marketed by the couple are now worn by thousands around the globe.

Here on Daniel Island, White has been a longtime member and volunteer in the community since she and her husband built one of the first homes years ago. The Daniel Island community mourned with her in 2006 when she lost Henri in a car accident.

But the clothing lines they built together, Robes of Faith and by Danielle Designs, have been kept alive by faith and a lot of hard work. Ready to retire after a lifetime of service, White finds comfort knowing “every Sunday, someone in the world is putting on a Robes of Faith robe to praise the Lord.”

White’s custom textiles can be found online at www.RobesofFaith.com and www.byDanielleDesigns.com.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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