Whenever you attend a trade show, be it for electronics, cars, anime, motorcycles, or even toys, you will typically find some models near the products to attract attention.
The same is particularly true at sporting events, especially those that involve wheels. From Formula One to bicycle racing, you find models everywhere.
But who are they?
For many of these events, the models are from a company called Umbrella Girls USA. Run by San Francisco-based lawyer and motorsport enthusiast Ann Asiano, Umbrella Girls started ten years ago after a trip to a motorcycle race in Italy.
She saw professional models on the starting grid holding signs for the riders, but there was no agency representing similar models in America.
Umbrella Girls was born and is one of the only branded motorsport and automotive modeling agencies working in North America today.
We recently spoke to Ann about the agency, the girls, and some dos and don'ts for meeting the models at these events.
Umbrella Girls' models are at motorcycle shows, bicycle races, private events, IndyCar, NASCAR, Off Road, NHRA, Grand Am, ALMS, AMA, MotoGP and other forms of racing.
Ann has a database of 600 girls nationwide, but she told us she tends to work with a core group of 40 models.
For the most part, the girls are in the 18-30 range. Many are students looking to make some supplemental income on the side.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Please follow Getting There on Twitter and Facebook.