Todd's Gifts

La Petite Pomme has a French name (it means the little apple), but it is owned and operated by Huguette Turler, a woman raised in Switzerland who has been in the fashion and clothing businesses for many years. She started out in in Switzerland, where her establishment sold Italian shoes and bags, and recently was on Marco Island, where she owned a children's clothing store not unlike the one she now tends in Bonita Springs.

Turler speaks three languages, her English spiked with a French accent-and that could also describe the inventory at La Petite Pomme. Two of her collections for babies and young children are French, two are British and the rest are upscale American. Turler is fluent in German, too, which can be useful in Southwest Florida considering that so many of our seasonal visitors are from Germany, even though their English is usually more precise than yours or mine.

Refined without being pretentious, the cotton clothes in La Petite Pomme come in sizes from infant to seven for boys and infant to 10 for girls. Turler's customers tend to be parents and grandparents who want a different kind of look for their young ones. You especially notice the difference in boys' clothing. In much of America little boys tend to be attired like mini sports stars or advertisements for TV and movie cartoon characters. There is another look, and La Petite Pomme has it. Turler carries four collections for mite-sized males.

"A major complaint among shoppers in America seems to be that there aren't any nice clothes for boys, at least not as many as there are for little girls," says Huguette. "But what I've observed is that many parents don't want to pay for quality clothing for boys once the children get past the age of two. Consequently many retailers don't stock a huge quantity of nicer boys' clothing because they usually don't sell."

Besides clothing, La Petite Pomme offers shoes, hats,

sunglasses, and a wonderful selection of swimwear for boys and girls in the $20 to $60 price range. Dresses run from $50 to $80 Most are fashioned from comfortable cotton with sweet details and meticulous tailoring. The attitude is more casual than formal.

Additionally, La Petite Pomme is the place for all manner of lovely things for a baby shower, including tender plush toys. Even if you aren't currently buying for little ones, La Petite Pomme is a lovely store to browse just so you'll be aware of what's out there for the well-dressed tot. It'll give you a feeling of nostalgia for the days when you were the major influence on what your child wore, especially if you're now looking at what the pre-teens and teenagers in your family are dragging home from the mall in the name of fashion.

Teak Experience Co.

The Promenade, 26795 South Bay Drive, #168, Bonita Springs. 949-6062.

Todd's Gifts

12670 McGregor Boulevard, Fort Myers. 415-2474.

La Petite Pomme

The Promenade, 26795 South Bay Drive, #104, Bonita Springs. 498-3335.