By Nedra Rhone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mimi Tin desperately wanted the white over-the-knee Chanel boots she saw on the pages of Vogue.

Unable to find her size at stores in Atlanta, she called every store in the country that might have them, only to hear the same thing, "Sold out." Two weeks after her search began, she finally located the $1,600 boots in Dallas.

"I got them and I am so happy. That was two years ago, and I have worn them every season since and people go nuts over them," said Tin, owner and creator of Sushi Style Inc.

The allure of Chanel, the brand and its legendary creator, never seems to fade (see the namesake models, teenagers and pets), but the Friday release of "Coco Before Chanel," a film starring Audrey Tautou, has jump-started a new era of interest in the life and times of Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel.

Later this year, expect another biopic about Chanel's affair with composer Igor Stravinsky. No fewer than three books about the woman and her work are planned for the coming months, including "Coco Chanel: A Life " by Justine Picardie (Harper Collins, $40), who was granted full access to Chanel archives and delves into the darker details of Chanel's business machinations.

Why is the designer, who died in 1971 at age 87, having such a big year? Atlantans came up with a few theories: A return to the simplicity that Chanel herself championed. A fascination with fashion as entertainment fueled by reality TV. Or a life that was so darn juicy, it just makes really good material.

On Thursday, Atlanta fashion followers turned out in Chanel jackets, jewelry, handbags and eyeglasses for a pre-party and screening of "Coco Before Chanel,"  in which director Anne Fontaine revisits the early years of Chanel's life. In a rags to riches tale, Chanel transforms herself from orphan to singer to semipermanent visitor at the estate of Etienne Balsan, one of several wealthy lovers, along with Arthur "Boy" Capel, who finance her first ventures in millinery.

The movie depicts Chanel as a witty, scrappy, yet vulnerable heroine determined to control her own destiny. Some have accused Chanel of being a liar, and she does play with the truth, but in this film she is more a master of reinvention who learns to make a way when there is none.

This may be news to Chanel lovers more seduced by the interlocking double C logo than the story behind the story.

"What people are always fascinated to find out are her very humble beginnings," said Michael Fink, dean of the School of Fashion at the Savannah College of Art and Design. "She was also a real meanie. Her accumulation of boyfriends and lovers who helped propel her to the next level ... it's an astounding story."

Her legendary designs, shown in the final minutes of the film, revolutionized the way women of the time dressed, freeing them from restrictive corsets and launching a number of enduring styles from the cardigan jacket to the little black dress, Fink said. Since 1983, Karl Lagerfeld has served as lead designer for the privately held brand, updating the cuts and designs but thanks to some savvy marketing, never losing the Chanel mystique.

"When you say the word Chanel, you immediately think you have an idea of what it is, and that is consistent quality, a very specific design sensibility and even more than that there is a culture," Fink said. "That speaks volumes about how a successful business is put together and is able to sustain itself."

It's a model that has given Atlanta designer Uche Ude of the Uccé Collection something to aspire to. "Is it too much to aim high?" Ude said. "I love Chanel. It has always been a source of inspiration for me and other designers. For me, success will be determined when I am on the same platform with her."