The Gowns and Crowns Studio

Cyrus Frakes/Instructor/ Photo Credit: Jonathan CarterMeet Cyrus Frakes...Instructor.... Cy is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in advertising & public relations and a minor in communications.His pageant experience spans 24 years as a pageant and fashion show director, producer, emcee, judge, pageant wear consultant, and photographer. The past thirteen years he has worked as an individual pageant instructor for Gowns & Crowns, LLC., a pageant preparation studio he owns and operates in Columbia, South Carolina.Gowns and Crowns specializes in the TOTAL PACKAGE! Cy and the Gowns and Crowns Team can assist a client in all areas of preparation from interview, on-stage speaking skills, stage walking, stage modeling routines, over-all stage presence; wardrobe selection, physical fitness, talent presentation, make-up artistry, to platforms and community service.Understanding you can't buy confidence, but you can build it he teaches individual classes giving each client the freedom and privacy to discover themselves through pageantry. Cy feels individual attention is a necessity for young women to strengthen weaknesses and learn to showcase their best qualities and attributes.Cy is proud of his client base which include: National: Amanda Pennekamp/ Miss Earth United States 2006 (top 16 at the International Miss Earth Pageant in the Philippines) and 1st Runner-up to Miss USA 2006 (representing South Carolina); Shelly Hennig/ Miss Teen USA (representing Louisiana 2004); Margaret Anne Carter/America's Perfect 2009 and MTV's Super Sweet Sixteen Teen, Ally Townsend/America's National Teenager 2009; Stephanie Rozier/Miss United States Teen 2009, Gariann Gunter/ Miss United States 2009;Qiana Henton/Miss Junior Black America 1994;Jill Rowland/Ms. Global International 2002.State: Kaity Rodriguez/ Miss New Jersey USA 2009; Mary Helen Caver/ Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2009; Stephanie Horton/ Miss South Carolina USA 2003; Lauren Caitlin Upton/ Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2007 (3rd Runner-up to Miss Teen USA) and YouTube sensation; Brooklyn Garrett/Little Miss South Carolina 2009 (over all winner); Sara Platt/ Little Miss South Carolina 2008 (over all winner); Rebecca Kelly Little Miss South Carolina 2005 (overall winner); Jordan Dawkins/North Carolina's Perfect Miss 2009); Kaleigh Hill/ South Carolina's Perfect Miss 2009;Ashley Williams/ Miss South Carolina USA 2002 (top 10 finalist); Amanda PenneKamp/ Miss South Carolina USA 2004 (1st runner up Miss USA); Lacie Lybrand/ Miss South Carolina USA 2006 (top 10 Miss USA); Ashley Zais/ Miss South Carolina USA 2007 (top 15 Miss USA);Jamie Hill Miss South Carolina USA 2008 (top 15 Miss USA); Elizabeth Carty/ Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2004; Elizabeth Shirk/ South Carolina's Junior Miss 2002 (Top 16 Finalist/ America's Junior Miss); Daniell Wilson/ Miss Teen South Carolina 2003; Maggie Hill/ Miss Teen South Carolina 2006 (top ten finalist America's Outstanding Teen); Crystal Garret/ Miss South Carolina 2007 (top 15 finalist Miss America); April Moschella/Miss Drugfree South Carolina/America 2003); Ashley Witt/ Miss United States Junior Teen 2008; Megan Matthews/Miss South Carolina United States 2010; Courtney Turner/ Miss South Carolina United States Teen 2010; Shannon Ford South Carolina Opry Queen 2010; Sutton Metz/South Carolina's Perfect Junior Teen 2010; Stella Groome/South Carolina's Perfect Supermodel 2010; Jackie Wells/ Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2000(top 10 Mrs. America International); Celeste Springer Mrs. South Carolina 2006; Tammy Johns/Mrs. South Carolina United States 2010; Kathleen Brand/North South All-Star Homecoming Queen 2009; Courtney Hardin/ Miss North Carolina Teen World 2010.Notables: Clark Gilmer/ top 10 Miss South Carolina USA 2009 and America's Next Top Model Finalist; Lindsey Holton 3rd Runner-up Miss South Carolina USA 2008 and Professional Elite Model/Chicago;Stephanie Monroe National Seventeen Magazine Cover-girl Winner; Lori Flower/Mrs. South Carolina 1985 (top ten finalist Mrs. America) and top 3 finalist for More Magazine Model Search (from 10,000 women).For complete listing and photos please visit my galleryCy is active in the community serving on many charitable organizations such as the Festival of Trees to Benefit the Children's Hospital (Festival 17 years and Chair/3 years); Co-Chair for The S. C. Fur Ball to benefit Project Pet (Chair/2 years); The Animal Mission Board under the direction of Sony from Hootie and the Blowfish; The First Ladies Walk....Steps Against Breast Cancer; a Columbia City Ballet Board Member under the Artistic Direction of world famous dancer and choreographer, William Starrett. Cy is recipient of the Key to the City of Columbia by the honorable Mayor Bob Coble in recognition of his charity work, voted a 2002 Hero for Children by Governor Jim Hodges. Cy has been inducted into the Lugoff-Elgin High School Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions to his high school alma mater.Aside from helping young women achieve their best through pageant instruction, highlights of his career include: working with the stars of the daytime drama, Days of Our Lives, during numerous South Carolina appearances; co-authoring the book, It's a Soap Opera Life; starring in a variety show with film and television star Morgan Fairchild to benefit Aids research; and directing Kimberly Aiken's (Miss America 1993) celebrity wedding of the year in 1998.