This weekend, The Expendables debuts at movie theaters in Europe (it opens in the U.S. next weekend) and we’re already fielding questions at Urban Optiques about who makes Mickey Rourke’s retro-inspired eyeglasses in the movie.

Anyone who came of age in the ’80s will know that Mickey Rourke was one of the decade’s sexiest bad boy actors. Who can forget the steamy 9 1/2 Weeks that paired Rourke with Kim Basinger and had to be substantially edited to earn a mere “R-Rating” at the box office?  He had that whole quiet, tough guy swagger down pat and it more or less made Rourke an icon among both men and women.

Not an easy thing to do.

But right at his height, Rourke seemed to disappear.  He took up boxing again.  He got his face bashed in which resulted in a round of reconstructive surgery that Rourke admits didn’t go the way he had expected.  For nearly a decade, there was hardly a word about Mickey Rourke.

And then in then 2005, Mickey Rourke staged an unlikely comeback thanks to his role in Sin City. The credits continued to accumulate, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role in the 2008 film The Wrestler and his role as the villain “Whiplash” in this Spring’s blockbuster Iron Man 2.

Suddenly, Mickey Rourke became cool again (some will argue he always was) and cool to a whole new generation of fans that were just being born when he made his first string of critically-acclaimed movies in the ’80s.

Mickey Rourke has also become legendary for his cool eyewear, which just goes to show that if you have to wear glasses (and everyone will have to at some point in their life), you might as well choose glasses that make a statement.

His latest role is in The Expendables, a testosterone-filled send-up of ’80s and early-’90s action films featuring a whose-who of action-movie icons like Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, and Jason Statham. This definitely isn’t a chick flick — unless you are one of those rare women that enjoys seeing things get blown up (and we know you do exist.)

In The Expendables, Mickey Rourke plays the type of character he plays best — an on-the-fringe arms-dealer and part-time tattoist named “Tool” who keeps the gang of over-the-hill mercenaries awash in guns and rocket launchers. In the film, Rourke is seen a number of times wearing a pair of very hip, dark red eyeglasses from our favorite L.A. eyewear brand Sama.

Mickey Rourke’s Eyeglasses in The Expendables: Sama D.C. Frames in Red

So if you are wondering what eyeglass frames Mickey Rourke is wearing in The Expendables we’ll not only let you in on the answer, but tell you how to get them.

Like Iron Man 2, where Rourke was featured wearing the Sama Deco 3 frames, in The Expendables Mickey Rourke is wearing another Sama eyeglass frame: The Sama D.C. in red. Mickey is a confirmed fan of Sama, as evidenced by the numerous paparazzi shots capturing him off the set in several different models of Sama and Loree Rodkin eyeglasses and sunglasses.  Rourke has been spotted in everything from the Sama Press, to the Deco 3, Scoop, Club-S and Loree Rodkin “Hunter.” Even his profile photo on his Wikipedia page shows him in a pair of Sama Press glasses. And in case you are wondering, he actually buys the Sama frames that he wears — they aren’t free comps.

In anticipation of the demand that we’ll see around these frames as a result of the movie, we’ve brought in an advanced order of the Sama D.C. eyeglasses in the exact color that Mickey Rourke wearing in The Expendables.  The D.C. eyeglass is also available in black, green, and havana (light brown) as well as a sunglass.  Custom tints on the eyeglasses are also available, just ask!

For more information on ordering the Sama D.C. eyeglasses featured on Mickey Rourke in The Expendables, send us an email or call the boutique at 248-347-9090.

You’ll remember in late June that a brand new Badgley Mischka sunglass model — the Steve — was spotted on NBA forward Danny Granger at Sama’s West Hollywood boutique.  While the model hadn’t been publicly-released yet, we called up Sama and asked if we could get our hands on two of the Steves for ourselves.

We loved the big, bold frame — especially when coupled with the special edition 24K yellow gold and 18k white gold flash coated lenses from Sama.  The first of the Badgley Mischka Steve sunglasses arrived this week at Urban Optiques and all we can say is “wow.”

Guys, understand that this is not a sunglass for the man who wants to fade into the crowd. Nor is it for the faint of heart.

There is no way that you can put on the Steve and not get noticed.  It’s a very sexy sunglass, made all the sexier by the brilliant genuine 24K gold flash coating on the lenses. We see this working its magic best paired with a fantastic, custom-tailored suit — but Danny Granger shows that you can also pull it off with workout gear (not recommending this, just saying …)

The Badgley Mischka Steve is so new, in fact, that there’s a good chance that whoever buys the first pair will be one of only a handful of lucky men to be first seen in this very cool sunglass.  Will it be you?

Check out the pictures below that we snapped of the Badgley Mischka Steve in the boutique this week.

Badgley Mischka Steve Sunglasses

As we mentioned earlier in the week, Urban Optiques has partnered with 944 Detroit Magazine to give away a pair of fab Loree Rodkin eyeCouture Special Edition “Hunter”  Sunglasses with 18K white gold lenses as part of 944’s new “Detroit Swag” feature.

I won’t go into all the reasons that these are amazing sunglasses worth every cent of their $1,200 price tag (okay, I will: They have genuine hand-cut calfskin leather inserts, 18K gold couture lenses and, of course, the jewelry-grade sterling silver Loree Rodkin signature skulls at the temples.)

The real question on everyone’s mind is how do I wear them?

So to provide some inspiration, we’re putting together five looks this month ranging from mild, to a little bit wild — to completely wild — to show you how easy it is to accessorize these super-lux aviators.

This is a unisex frame, so be patient men … we’ll provide some looks for you also. But today we’re going to start with a cool, urban look that combines the Special Edition Loree Rodkin Hunter with a pair of Alice + Olivia seamed biker pants, Brooke Western Snake Tee, and a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti pumps.

We also tossed in some great accessories that play off from the leather, sterling silver and platinum finish on the Hunter sunglasses, including a vintage Chanel ring, Sonora Leather bracelet and dog-tag style monogrammed charm from Helen Ficalora (you can customize it with your initial.)

All of the elements of the ensemble (minus the Loree Rodkin sunglasses) are available at Shopbop.com.

To enter the 944 Detroit/Urban Optiques giveaway and have a chance at winning the Special Edition Loree Rodkin Hunter sunglasses, visit the 944 Detroit Swag Microsite.

A Little Bit Wild

A few weeks ago, Brian Glascow at Sama Eyewear swore us to secrecy when he shared a new Heart of Gold sunglass variation that Sheila Vance and the Sama Team had been hard at work on for months.

This was going to be a very special sunglass, Brian explained, with an extremely limited run: Sama was producing only 35 of these sunglasses, and just 10 of them were going to be available to the public through Sama’s small, exclusive network of independent optical boutiques.  The remainder would be available for purchase only at the Destination: Sama Beverly Hills, Rome, St. Louis and West Hollywood Boutiques and to a small, inner circle of Sama loyalists.

That’s right: There are only 35 of these sunglasses in the world.

When Brian sent us photos of the new Heart of Gold Regal we were floored. Featuring five microns of 18K white gold over titanium and genuine “purple velvet” Swarovski crystals at the temples, the new Limited Edition Heart of Gold Regal sunglasses melted our hearts.

So we advanced ordered two.

Two out of the ten available to independent Sama retailers, and two out of only 35 in the world.

It doesn’t get much more exclusive than that.

Our two Sama Heart of Gold Regals arrived yesterday at Urban Optiques and they were just as beautiful as in the pictures.  If you are a jewelry lover, you’ll adore these suns.

Like the other Heart of Gold sunglasses, the Regal features the distinctive “coin” etching on the temples and a double-hinge which makes them not only less prone to stress fractures and wear, but also improve the comfort of the sunglasses.

We still haven’t decided what we’ll do with the second pair.

We love them so much that we are thinking we put one on display for our clients to buy, and keeping the second in reserve just for ourselves.  It’s unlikely we’ll be able to acquire additional pieces in the future, so it’s first come, first serve on this amazing sunglass.

Sama: Eyewear With a Heart

Even better, when you buy the Sama Heart of Gold Regal, 100% of Sama’s net profits on the sale of the sunglass are donated to the Betty Ford Center to help treat teen and young adult drug addiction.

Why the Betty Ford Center?

Because in 1997, Sama founder and lead designer Sheila Vance lost her 19 year old son, Sam Vance, to heroine experimentation while he was a freshman at UCLA.

Wanting to change Hollywood and the fashion industries portrayal of “Heroine Chic” as sexy — as well as offer help to teens and their families struggling with drug addiction — Sheila Vance literally founded Sama Eyewear as a feeder to her non-profit Sam Vance Foundation.

We personally love that that Sheila Vance and Sama take a substantial portion of their profits and use it for good.  It’s their reason for being and something they don’t compromise on.  Sama has rock-solid principles:  For example, they refuse to participate in the “pay for placement” of eyewear that so many other eyewear brands dump millions of dollar into. It runs counter to their foundation’s mission and they just won’t do it.

This makes it even more remarkable that so many celebrities and movie stylists choose Sama. They don’t get the frames for free: They buy them freely themselves.

The Heart of Gold Regal is $1,587 and includes a certificate of authenticity, custom leather carrying case and a limited edition Heart of Gold microfiber lens cloth.

Our friends over at the Destination: Sama boutique in West Beverly Hills just sent us a picture they snapped of NBA basketball star Danny Granger in his new Badgley Mischka “Steve” aviator sunglasses.

The “Steve” sunglass that Danny Granger is sporting is actually a new model from Badgley Mischka Eyewear and Sama and will be released later this month.

Granger is pictured below wearing the “Steve” in gold with 24K gold lenses. We’re still waiting for confirmation from Sama on other color variations, but we do know it will also be available in Clove with special triple gradient-lenses.

If you are interested in pre-ordering the Badgley Mischka “Steve” please give us a call at 248-347-9090 or email us at: seebeseen@urbanoptiques.com and we’ll put you on the V.I.P priority list for this hot new model.

Danny Granger in Badgley Mischka “Steve” Sunglasses

Badgley Mischka “Steve” Sunglasses in Gold with 24K Gold Special Edition Lenses

Badgley Mischka “Steve” Sunglasses in Clove with Special Edition Triple Gradient Lenses

If you haven’t figured it out yet, we adore Sama Eyewear around Urban Optiques.

Why?

Well,  Sama is simply producing some of the most amazing, contemporary couture eyewear on the planet.  Forget about Chanel, D&G, Dior, Burberry and Coach.  Anyone can buy that at Sunglass Shack or Lenscrafters.  If you want something truly unique, you’ll want Sama.

If you don’t believe us, check out this great video filmed at the Angiolucci Lunettes Boutique in Catania, Italy. Not only does it feature some of Sama’s hottest sunglasses, but it also includes some great clips from Sama founder and lead designer Sheila Vance.

It speaks for itself.

The footage includes sunglasses from Sama, Badgley Mischka Eyewear and Loree Rodkin eyeCouture.

Enjoy and Grazie! to Angiolucci for sharing this with us all:

The final look in our “Sama Heart of Gold Sunglasses: Five Ways Over Five Days“ Style Series is all about nature.

We centered the entire look around the beautifully light and airy purple and orange Diane Von Furstenburg “Layly” Tiger dress, which puts a new, colorful twist on this season’s continued obsession with animal prints.

We tried to carry the “Au Naturale” theme through the entire look, choosing accessories that utilized natural materials like wood and cork:  Purple D Squared wood platform heels, a Tahari cork clutch and a wood and gold bangle bracelet to finish it off.

Of course, there are also the Sama Heart of Gold sunglasses, which complement the rich, royal oranges and purples that dominate the ensemble.

Enjoy!

Au Naturale

You’ve Seen this Look, Now See the Rest!

Don’t forget to check out the other four looks we put together with the Sama Heart of Gold sunglasses:

• Look One: Guilded Pleasures
• Look Two: Platinum Play
• Look Three: Day to Night
• Look Four: Street Scene
• Look Five: Au Naturale

With this week’s box office debut of Sex and The City 2, we’ve received a deluge of e-mails asking who makes the gold aviator sunglasses that Sarah Jessica Parker wears in her reprise of the Carrie Bradshaw role in Sex and The City 2?

The good news is we’ve identified Carrie’s gold aviators from SATC 2:  They are Mykita & Bernhard Willhelm’s “Franz” Limited-Edition Aviator Sheet-Metal Sunglasses ($525.)

The bad news is you’ll likely be waiting some time to get your hands on these sunglasses (maybe as long as the end of summer.)  The Mykitas have been on back order at Patricia Fields since the gold sunglasses first showed up on Sarah Jessica Parker in advanced publicity shots last year. No word on when they’ll be available.

How to Still Get Carrie’s Gold Plated Look: Sama

Although Urban Optiques doesn’t carry Mykita,  the lens coating technology that is used on the Mykita “Franz” Limited-Edition Gold Aviator sunglasses in Sex and The City 2 was actually developed by Sama Eyewear out of Los Angeles and is currently available on a wide-range of  Sama, Badgley Mischka and Loree Rodkin eyeCouture models at Urban Optiques.

While Carrie’s oversized gold aviators in Sex and The City 2 are at the center of the most recent surge in interest around gold sunglasses, Sama made waves in the eyewear and fashion industry last July when they debuted their custom 24K yellow and 18K white gold plated couture lenses during the Badgley Mischka runway show during Amsterdam International Fashion We

In that show, the gold plated lenses were ever present and served as an early prototype for the lens coating that eventually made its way onto the  Badgley Mischka Special Edition Perry aviators seen last year on Angelina Jolie and Rihanna.

One-Up Carrie’s Sex and the City 2 Gold Aviators with Customized Couture Sunglasses from Sama & Urban Optiques

The special gold coating technology and process (which literally fuse genuine gold onto the lenses surface) developed by Sama and used on the Carrie Bradshaw’s Mykita sunglasses, can be applied to lenses on nearly all of the Sama, Badgley Mischka and Loree Rodkin eyeCouture sunglass models. We’ve worked with Sama to put the special edition gold lenses in everything from the Badgley Mischka Grace to the Lola sunglasses.

The advantage to this approach is that we can work with you select a sunglass shape and style that is uniquely yours, and then customize the lenses to give you the same opulent, gilded look of Carrie’s sunglasses in SATC 2, but with your own individual expression of style.

So if gold plated sunglasses are on your must-have accessory list this summer, you’ll definitely want to check out the special edition sunglasses from Sama below.  To find out about customizing other Badgley Mischka, Sama or Loree Rodkin eyeCouture sunglasses with special edition white or gold lenses, call us at 248-347-9090 or drop us an email.

To see some ways that Sama’s gold sunglasses can accessorized, make sure you check out the Lookbooks Urban Optiques has put together around the Sama Heart of Gold sunglass.

Sama Special Edition Heart of Gold with 24k Yellow Gold Lenses

Sama Boa with Snakeskin Temples and Special Edition 24K Gold Plated Lenses

Badgley Mischka Perry Special Edition Gold with 24K Gold Lenses

Badgley Mischka Alfie with 24K Gold Lenses

Badgley Mischka Boyd in Espresso with 24K Gold Lenses

Badgley Mischka Lola in Brown with 24K Gold Lenses

Badgley Mischka Lola in Gold with 24K Gold Lenses

Badgley Mischka Grace in Gold with 24K Gold Lenses

Loree Rodkin Owen Gold Aviator Sunglasses with 24K Gold Special Edition Lenses

Loree Rodkin eyeCouture Scarlett in Brown (inner lenses can be customized to 24K yellow or white gold)

For availability and pricing on any of the  sunglasses above, please contact us at the boutique.

One of the things we wanted to accomplish with our “Sama Heart of Gold Five Ways Over Five Days” was to demonstrate how exceptionally versatile these handmade sunglasses by Sama are as an accessory.

The Heart of Gold is really jewelry for your face;  so like a ring, necklace or pair of earrings, you want to know that your investment has legs in terms of how many different ways you can pair it.

The first two looks we put together were a little more opulent — perfect for a summer wedding or formal event when the days are still long and you can wear your sunglasses into the evening hours.

Today’s look is a bit more understated.

We wanted to show how you take the Heart of Gold and accessorize them with day wear — letting you transition flawlessly from the office, to lunch, to dinner without doing much more than perhaps swapping out your shoes.

The look below combines the cool whites and neutral grays of an sophisticated shirt dress from Alice + Olivia with jewelry in yellow gold, diamonds and precious stones that once again play off from the Swarovski crystals in the Heart of Gold’s temples.

If you want to tone-down the flash factor on the 24K gold plated lenses, you can always opt for the Sama Heart of Gold in “Desert” which combines the gold-plated frame shown here with a brown, non-mirrored gradient lenses.

Finally, we punched the entire look up with a fierce pair of L.A.M.B “Delva” booties which may or may not be office appropriate (maybe if you worked at Vogue?)  But they just worked so well with the ensemble, that we couldn’t resist adding them.

Don’t worry though, we’ve added a couple of additional shoe options below that should work in the office and then you can slip into the L.A.M.B.s after work for cocktails or dinner.

Day to Night

Here are several other options in terms of shoes that work well with this look:

Camilla Skovgaard “Saw” Plateau Pumps

Fendi Raffia Pumps

L.A.M.B “Zada” Sandals

For more inspiration, check out the Day One Look: Guilded Pleasures and Day 2: Platinum Play.

It’s Day Two of  our “Sama Heart of Gold Five Ways Over Five Days“  and we’re changing things up with a platinum and white gold look.

Yesterday it was all about the warm, golden hues of the Sama Heart of Gold sunglass in yellow gold,  but today we’re creating an entirely new look around the cool, sleek Heart of Gold in Platinum with 18K white gold lenses.

In the look below, we’ve paired Sama’s platinum Heart of Gold sunglass –   featuring 18K white gold couture lenses — with an amazing black Jersey dress and pair of silver python sandals from Micheal Kors.

To top it off, we added a fabulous multi-chain bracelet courtesy of Versace.

Today’s look is all about contrasting the luster of platinum and 18K white gold off against the  classic little black dress.

Check out the look below!

Platinum Play

To order the Sama Heart of Gold, please contact us at Urban Optiques.