Sheila Vance is an aspiring eyewear designer whose shades are favorites of superstars like Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Brad Pitt and many other Hollywood heartthrobs. We caught up with her in Cairo where she came to run some of her business errands with Magrabi Optics, the reputable eyewear store that she chose to sell in her products exclusively in Egypt.
Vance was born in Iran from an Iranian mother and a French father. She moved to France when she was 6 and then moved to the United States where she lived for 24 years. Since she was little, she wanted to become a designer and took many design courses in jewelry and textile. She wanted to specialize in Eyewear design rather than taking any other design career “people always hate prescription optics, so I wanted people to love wearing eyeglasses even those who don’t need them will be attracted to the trendy designs I offer”, so she founded Sama Eyewear, the world’s finest and most exclusive ultra-premium eyewear company. Sama Eyewear introduced the world to luxury fashion eyewear including the introduction of 100% Pure Titanium to the optical industry. All collections are manufactured, and finished by hand in Japan and the company is available in exclusive optical shops and boutiques in 40 countries throughout the world, as well as at “Destination: Sama” locations in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Sama Eyewear is featured in some blockbuster movies like Miami Vice, Mission: Impossible IIIandTerminator 3: Rise of the Machines, “it’s great to see my designs on such superstars as celebrities come to us seeking a new look and we offer them unique eyewear designs to give them the required appearance”, Vance tells us. “We have also royal clientele from the Middle East and Europe as well, the royals of Monaco are very special clients” she adds.
Vance is also a great humanitarian. After losing her 19 year old son Sam to heroin, she founded the Sam Vance Foundation in 1997, a non-profit organization whose mission is to prevent drug use amongst teens and young adults, and to help young addicts get on the road to recovery. A portion of the annual proceeds of Sama Eyewear collection are donated to the foundation as part of the charity work Vance is practicing. She is also a member of Friendly House; a charity organization first opened its doors in 1951. The organization helps and sponsor women who face tribulations and problems in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction “Sama is an ancient term meaning no beginning, no end and is a metaphor of the circulation of life as we give back to the community” Vance says.
Sama Eyewear will introduce its stunning new collection “Sahara” which is inspired from the Ancient Egyptian Era. The collection has a special design and glamorous jewelry in addition to some gold plated frames and lenses adding an Egyptian taste. The collection will be out this summer, and all the profit will be donated to charity regarding the recession the world is facing these days.
