Last Christmas, when Marc Jacobs (dressed as a prize-winning pig) hosted a holiday hoedown, replete with rodeo midgets, mechanical bull, and Naomi Campbell assuming the role of Slutty Pocahontas, no one suspected it was a sign of things to come. Namely, a Wrangler collaboration. However, starting this month, MJ and the western-world’s official denim brand are introducing a small collection (two pieces) of urban dude-wear: a pair of slim-cut five-pocket jeans and a button-front jean jacket, both cut from Japanese denim and available in vintage and dark washes.

It’s the latest designer collaboration for Wrangler, which, surprisingly enough, was the first denim brand to hire a star pattern-maker. In 1943, Wrangler brought Rodeo Ben, the Polish tailor who clothed Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, on-board to design a jean for cowboys. With input from rodeo stars like Jim Shoulders, Freckles Brown, and Bill Linderman, the classic “Cowboy Cut” was born, complete with deep front pockets, high back pockets, and a little place to put a watch. Several years later, Wrangler became the first denim brand to produce a woman’s jean with a zipper up the front, instead of the side, and a saucy ‘W’ emblazoned on the back pocket. By the mid-‘70s, Wrangler was not only the “Official Jeans of the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association,” but also the #1 jeans brand in Europe.

Then, in 2003, they roped in the downtown scene: Built By Wendy’s Wendy Mullin -- whose Home-Ec, retro-cool sensibility is big with Sofia Coppola and The Beastie Boys -- was tapped to design Wrangler 47, their premium denim line that morphed yee-haw with indie-rock.

This fall, they’re revamping Wrangler 47 – introducing woven shirts, fitted “dandy” vests, and skinny jeans in washed-out grey tones, designed by Calvin Klein and Diesel vet Monique Buzy-Pucheu. To celebrate the re-launch, Wrangler threw a mojito-infused hoedown earlier this month at the Chelsea outpost of Barneys. And, while there was no Marc Jacobs in a pig-suit, there was Ben Cho, Kai Kuhne, Proenza Schouler, and several Vogue editors all nodding their heads to the Blonde Redhead performance, and cementing Wrangler’s status as the official jeans of hip, high-fashion cowboys.

Get Them:

Marc Jacobs/Wrangler jeans, $300, and jacket, $400, available at Marc Jacobs stores nationwide, marcjacobs.com

Wrangler 47 slim-cut Lillington jeans, $160, and Dandy Vest, $143, at Barneys, barneys.com.

More info: Wrangler.com, Wrangler47.com

Marc Jacobs photo courtesy of Patrick Mcmullan, patrickmcmullan.com