The Visionary Behind RTFKT: Remembering Benoît Pagotto, Architect of Digital Fashion’s New Era
Digital fashion pioneer Benoît Pagotto, co-founder of RTFKT and creative visionary behind Nike’s metaverse projects, has passed away at 41.
Benoît Pagotto, the creative mind who helped shape Nike’s digital fashion frontier through RTFKT, has died at the age of 41, according to tributes shared by close friends and collaborators over the weekend. The French designer and entrepreneur, celebrated for blending luxury design, gaming, and blockchain culture, leaves behind a transformative legacy in digital artistry.
Philippe Rodriguez, a longtime colleague and fellow innovator in the tech scene, announced Pagotto’s “sudden passing” in a heartfelt message shared from Paris. He described him as “super creative, discreet, and humble,” adding that Pagotto was guided by a belief that “beauty could change the world.”
The news prompted an outpouring of emotion across the digital fashion and crypto communities. RTFKT co-founder Steven Vasilev reflected that “the vision, mission, and inspiration Benoît gave to the world will live on forever.” Former chief technology officer Samuel Cardillo offered a more candid remembrance, calling him “a grumpy Parisian cliché, an asshole and genius” whose authenticity made him “a unique human being.”
Greg Solano, co-founder of the Bored Ape Yacht Club, remembered Pagotto as “one of the kindest, funniest people I met in crypto,” recalling that he offered help “when we were nobodies” and never lost his warmth after fame arrived. “I’ll miss his big, boisterous laugh you could hear from across a restaurant,” Solano wrote.
Pagotto’s career reshaped how people think about digital ownership and self-expression. In 2020, alongside Chris Le and Steven Vasilev, he co-founded RTFKT—a studio that fused art, technology, and identity through virtual sneakers, avatars, and collectible drops. Its collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami on theClone Xcollection became one of the most iconic examples of NFT-driven fashion.
The success of RTFKT attracted Nike, which acquired the studio in late 2021. Under Pagotto’s creative direction, RTFKT bridged physical and digital design through blockchain-linked sneakers and immersive experiences, pushing the boundaries of what fashion could mean in the metaverse. Even as the company’s operations slowed in recent months, Pagotto remained a public advocate for innovation and community-building in digital design.
Though details surrounding his death have not been publicly disclosed, his impact on the evolution of virtual craftsmanship and the digital economy is unquestionable. To many, Pagotto represented the rare blend of visionary artistry and pragmatic leadership—a pioneer who saw not only what technology could build, but what it could mean for human creativity itself.
