Sheila Vance is a legendary designer, successful business woman and true humanitarian.  Whether changing the world through her inspired eyewear designs, innovative business practices or extensive philanthropic efforts, Vance works tirelessly to make the world a better and more beautiful place.

Named by Interview magazine as one of the “Most Noble Crusaders of the Modern Era,” Vance’s life was turned upside-down when she lost her only son Sam, a nineteen-year-old college freshman at U.C.L.A., to the scourge of heroin.  Determined to turn her personal tragedy into a positive force for change, Vance took action.  Only months after her son’s death, Vance founded the Sam Vance Foundation with a mission to help free adolescents and teens from the shackles of drug abuse.

A longtime philanthropist, Vance knew that establishing a charity and funding a charity were two different things.  “The primary concern of most companies is making money.  They get into charity and develop a social conscience, if at all, as an afterthought…but Sama is different.  I founded the Sam Vance Foundation first, then I created Sama as way to fund the foundation.”  Leading by example, Vance donates 100% of the net proceeds from Sama’s Visionnaires collection, as well as a percentage of the 1001 Nights collection and a portion of Sama Eyewear’s total annual net profits to the Sam Vance Foundation.

Sama is more than just the world’s finest ultra-premium eyewear company.  From the outset, Vance was determined to create a business culture that would seamlessly integrate her personal and professional lives.  An internationally renowned designer and eyewear industry pioneer for over twenty years, Vance’s vision for Sama required a completely new approach to business and design.  “I began my journey by naming the Company Sama, an ancient term meaning ‘…no beginning and no end’ that personifies my underlying philosophy of life.”

Determined to make a significant impact as quickly as possible, Vance took her “fashion with a cause” message to the world’s most powerful purveyors of youth-oriented culture: the fashion and entertainment industries.  “Heroin chic is anything but chic,” says Vance, “the fact that the fashion and entertainment industries were glamorizing drug use was unacceptable and needed to be changed.”  Vance’s focus on style over substance (abuse, that is!) was ultimately embraced by the tastemakers and trendsetters in fashion, film and music, and the Sama legend was born.

Sama’s launch was heralded by the international optical industry and fashionistas alike as being nothing short of extraordinary.  Sama’s elegant designs, ultra-premium materials and revolutionary manufacturing techniques propelled the company to the forefront of the hyper-competitive eyewear industry.   Never one to rest on her laurels, Vance immediately began work on a project that would forever change the direction of fashion eyewear: the 1001 Nights collection.    

The 1001 Nights collection features precious stones set in pure titanium and was the first eyewear collection created with the specific intention of donating a percentage of its profits to charity.  The collection was inspired by the tale of Scheherazade, a story about a beautiful young woman who must rely on her courage and creativity to survive an almost impossible situation.  “In many ways the fable of Scheherazade reflects my own creative journey,” say Vance, “…and it serves as a wonderful source of hope during difficult times.” 

Embracing fresh creative challenges, Vance’s next collections took her in entirely new directions.  “Each of my collections serves a specific fashion purpose.  For example, the Sama collection introduced fashion etiquette to eyewear,” says Vance. With Kenta, Vance designed a chic, masculine collection exclusively for men.  The Go and Line3 collections successfully infused the Sama sensibility into modern styles utilizing state-of-the-art technology. 

In 2005, Vance was approached by superstar jewelry designer Loree Rodkin to design an eyewear collection blurring the line between modern and medieval.  Longtime Los Angeles residents, Rodkin and Vance had admired one another’s work for many years before developing their collection.  Launched at a lavish Milan fashion show attended by international celebrities and jet-setters, the Loree Rodkin Eye Couture by Sama incorporates iconic Rodkin elements such as the fleur-de-lys, peace signs, crosses and skulls, with Vance’s innovative eyewear designs, ultra-premium materials and exotic lenses to create the ultimate jewelry for the face. 

Then in March 2006 at a star-studded event atop Rockefeller Center in New York City, Vance introduced yet another eyewear collection that shook the fashion and optical industries to their cores.  Badgley Mischka Couture Eyewear marks Vance’s first teaming with longtime friends Mark Badgley and James Mischka.  “Mark, James and I have been friends and admirers of one another’s work for many years,“ says Vance, ”working with Mark and James on their first collection – including the brand’s first men’s products - was a wonderful experience and incredibly satisfying.”  The collection recalls “The Golden Age of Hollywood” and features modern interpretations of classic designs.  Following on the heels of the couture collection’s unprecedented success, Sheila, Mark and James reunited to create a sport casual collection that will be launched in March 2007.

In addition to designing comprehensive collections, Vance is often called upon by Hollywood to create original eyewear for use in major motion pictures and television programs.  In recent years Vance has designed some of Hollywood’s most memorable and imitated eyewear, including: Tom Cruise’s sleek, high-tech frames in M:i:III; Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic Terminator sunglasses in T3: Rise of the Machines; and, Colin Farrell’s chic sunglasses in Miami Vice.  Other celebrities for whom Vance has designed on-screen frames include: Catherine Zeta-Jones (Intolerable Cruelty), Greg Kinnear (Stuck on You and The Matador), Jude Law (Closer), Ashley Judd (Someone Like You), Hugh Grant (American Dreamz), Brittany Murphy (Uptown Girls), Meryl Streep (The Hours), and Nicole Kidman (The Stepford Wives).  Vance also enjoys designing custom eyewear for such prestigious clients as Harry Winston, who commissioned her to create a limited edition frame for nominees at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards®. 

Humble about her own success, the Sam Vance Foundation remains Sheila Vance’s real pride and joy.  “Creating beautiful eyewear brings me a deep sense of satisfaction, but it pales in comparison to the joy I feel knowing that the Sam Vance Foundation is actually saving people’s lives.”  

Sama, Loree Rodkin Eye Couture by Sama, and Badgley Mischka Couture Eyewear by Sama are available at “Destination: Sama” stores and at fine optical boutiques throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.  If you are interested in learning more about Sama Eyewear or the Sam Vance Foundation, then please call (323)822-3955 or visit www.samaeyewear.net.  For public relations information please contact bluPRint at (310)281-8080.