WATCH: Rick Owens Makes Fashion History With His Female Step Team

Photo: Alexander Klein/Getty (Owens), Miguel Medina/AFP (Runway)

The Rick Owens show is always a must-see event at Paris Fashion Week, but this season the American designer took the performance to another level.

For his spring-summer collection, Owens hired a team of 40 female step dancers, most of them black, who delivered a spectacular performance. "I'm presenting something so wholesome, and so good-spirited, and energizing... But when you think of team work, there is always a dark side," said the designer, echoeing the ongoing debate on diversity on the runway (or lackthereof) which has divided the fashion industry.

Rick Owens brushed off any form of tokenism: His female steppers were a powerful tribute to black culture, showcasing a collection of athletic clothing worn by "real", full-figured women from various ethnic backgrounds.

You must watch the video below: