Grand Slam

Known around school as “the girl with the knee-high socks,” Miami-based fifth grader and tennis player Emma Wiesenfeld embraced her unique sense of style last year by starting her own activewear collection, Beloot by Emma. A cheerful line of signature socks and coordinating apparel, the Spring ’20 assortment includes neon-accented high-performance shirts, hats, headbands and, of course, knee-high socks, inspired by Wiesenfeld’s athletic lifestyle.

“Beloot isn’t just for tennis players—it’s for any kid who wants to look stylish on or off the court,” Wiesenfeld says, explaining how she’d always found it challenging to find “fun” sportswear in the kids’ department. “Brands like Nike and Adidas only have mini Federer or mini Serena outfits. Those are nice, but not fun.”

Introducing her youthful take on athleisure at Children’s Club last month, Weisenfeld greeted each buyer who stopped in her booth with an infectious smile and passionate pitch. With product made from eco-friendly materials and manufactured in America, Weisenfeld received positive reactions, but what sealed the deal was her mission to donate a portion of sales to a worthy cause. “A year ago, my tennis coach was hospitalized with a stroke that left him with overwhelming medical bills,” Weisenfeld says, noting that 10 percent of Beloot’s proceeds will be donated to her coach’s cause. In addition, she started a Go Fund Me page to help her coach through this difficult time. So far, Weisenfeld has raised more than $30,000 with an ultimate goal of $45,000. “When my coach gets better, I would love for him to work for Beloot,” she says. “He’s such an inspiration to me, so I know he will inspire others, too!”

Looking ahead, Weisenfeld wants to expand Beloot to include attire for boys, teens and babies. “I see Beloot in multiple shops around the world,” she says. “My ultimate dream is to have professional tennis players wear Beloot—so this is just the beginning!” 

What made you fall in love with tennis? My dad put me in a class when I was four, and I was hooked. I used to play two times a week, but for the last three years, I’ve been playing competitively and training four to five times a week. That includes two tournaments per month. It’s just such a fun sport, and when I have a bad day, it lets me get all that bad energy out. 

What’s your go-to tennis sneaker? I always wear the same model of neon pink Babolat sneakers, but recently I also like the Adidas Stan Smith.

What’s your off-the-court style? I like to wear comfortable clothes with fun designs—lots of plain, one-color T-shirts. I like to wear skirts, too! As for shoes, ballerina flats are my favorite.

Do you like to accessorize? I like fun headbands—like with a big bow, for instance. I also like leggings paired with ballerina skirts. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, except a pair of earrings I got for my birthday.

Where do you like to shop? I usually shop in stores. My favorites are Zara, Nike and Pottery Barn for Kids. But if I’m looking for anything school-related, I shop online.

What are some popular fashion trends your friends are sporting? My little brother is into 270s from Nike, and my good friend Valeria wears Fila sneakers a lot. The ones she has are very cool. Neon colors are also popular right now—just like my Beloot clothing!

How about a recent trend you didn’t like? Big, huge (dad) sneakers and ones with a lot of different colors. I just don’t think that looks good.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A professional tennis player!

What are three of your top goals right now? Number one, to win the French Open. Second, go to the Mouratoglou tennis academy in France next year for middle school. Third, to go to Hawaii!