The digital fashion landscape and broader World of Web3 experienced profound shock and grief following the sudden passing of Benoît Pagotto, the visionary co-founder of RTFKT Studios. At just 41 years old, Pagotto’s unexpected death has left an irreplaceable void in an industry he helped create and define. As tributes pour in from across the globe, the world is reminded of how one individual’s creative vision can transform entire industries and inspire countless innovators.
Pagotto wasn’t simply running an NFT company; he carried a vision that served as a bridge between art, technology, and humanity. His work at RTFKT represented more than commercial success—it embodied a fundamental reimagining of how fashion, culture, and blockchain technology could intersect to create meaningful digital experiences. The loss of such a pioneering figure comes at a crucial moment for the Web3 ecosystem, raising questions about the future of digital fashion while simultaneously highlighting the incredible legacy he leaves behind.
The Visionary Behind RTFKT Studios
Building a Digital Fashion Empire
Benoît Pagotto’s journey into the digital fashion revolution began well before blockchain technology became mainstream. His career started in retail, where he spent four years at the legendary Parisian concept store Colette before transitioning into marketing. This foundation in traditional fashion retail provided him with invaluable insights into consumer behavior, brand building, and the cultural significance of fashion as both art and commerce.
In 2020, Pagotto co-founded RTFKT Studios, launching what would become one of the most influential brands in the NFT marketplace. The company’s name, pronounced “artifact,” perfectly captured its mission: to create digital artifacts that would hold cultural and monetary value in virtual spaces. This wasn’t merely about selling digital goods—it was about establishing entirely new paradigms for ownership, identity, and self-expression in the emerging metaverse.
The timing of RTFKT’s launch proved prescient. As the world grappled with pandemic-era isolation, digital spaces became increasingly important for social interaction and cultural expression. Pagotto and his team recognized that the future of fashion wouldn’t be confined to physical garments alone. Instead, they envisioned a world where the World of Web3 and virtual wearables would become essential components of personal identity, particularly within gaming communities and virtual environments.
Revolutionary Collaborations and Achievements
RTFKT made international headlines by selling over three million dollars worth of limited-edition virtual sneakers in under seven minutes, with individual pairs priced between three thousand and ten thousand dollars. This extraordinary achievement demonstrated that digital fashion could command serious value and capture consumer imagination in ways that traditional retail rarely achieved. The success came from a lean team, unencumbered by the manufacturing, materials, and distribution costs that constrain physical fashion production.
What set RTFKT apart under Pagotto’s leadership was the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology with genuine cultural relevance. The brand didn’t simply create digital versions of existing products; it pioneered entirely new forms of expression that could only exist in virtual spaces. Through innovative use of blockchain technology, RTFKT enabled true digital ownership, allowing collectors to prove authenticity and transfer assets across different platforms and metaverse environments.
The company’s collaborations with renowned artists and established brands helped legitimize the entire digital fashion industry. By partnering with influential figures from gaming, art, and streetwear culture, Pagotto ensured that RTFKT remained at the intersection of multiple creative communities. These partnerships weren’t mere marketing exercises they represented genuine cultural conversations about the future of creativity in digital spaces.
Nike’s Acquisition: Mainstream Recognition
A Historic Partnership
Nike acquired RTFKT in December 2021, marking a watershed moment for the Web3 industry. This acquisition by one of the world’s most recognizable brands signaled mainstream acceptance of NFTs and digital fashion. For Nike, the purchase represented a strategic investment in the future of consumer engagement, particularly with younger, digitally-native audiences who increasingly value virtual experiences and digital ownership.
Following the acquisition, Nike emerged as the leader in the metaverse fashion sector, generating approximately one hundred eighty-five million dollars in NFT sales. This remarkable figure demonstrated that digital fashion wasn’t a passing trend but a legitimate business opportunity with massive revenue potential. Under Pagotto’s continued creative direction, RTFKT maintained its innovative edge while gaining access to Nike’s vast resources and global reach.
The partnership allowed RTFKT to operate with significant autonomy, functioning as an independent brand similar to Nike’s relationship with Converse or Jordan. This structure enabled Pagotto and his team to maintain full creative control over their brand direction and NFT roadmap while benefiting from knowledge exchange with one of fashion’s most sophisticated operations. The arrangement represented an ideal balance between entrepreneurial freedom and corporate support.
Bridging Physical and Digital Worlds
Under Pagotto’s creative vision, RTFKT explored physical-linked NFTs and digital drops that effectively bridged sneaker culture with on-chain identity. This innovation addressed one of digital fashion’s most persistent challenges: creating meaningful connections between virtual and physical experiences. By developing products that existed simultaneously in both realms, RTFKT created new possibilities for how consumers could interact with brands and express their identities.
The concept of phygital fashion—products that blend physical and digital elements—became one of RTFKT’s signature contributions to the industry. Collectors might purchase an NFT sneaker that entitles them to a physical version, or vice versa, with blockchain verification ensuring authenticity for both. This approach satisfied consumers who valued both tangible objects and digital collectibles, while also demonstrating practical applications for blockchain technology beyond pure speculation.
Pagotto’s understanding of community building proved essential to RTFKT’s success. He recognized that sustainable NFT projects required more than innovative technology or attractive designs—they needed authentic communities united by shared values and genuine engagement. Through careful cultivation of these communities, The World of Web3 built lasting loyalty that transcended individual product drops or market fluctuations.
Impact on the Web3 Ecosystem
Pioneering Digital Ownership
Benoît Pagotto’s contributions to Web3 culture extended far beyond RTFKT’s commercial achievements. He helped establish fundamental concepts about digital ownership that continue shaping the entire ecosystem. By demonstrating that digital items could hold genuine value and cultural significance, he challenged traditional assumptions about property, creativity, and commerce in virtual environments.
Pagotto’s creative leadership helped mainstream on-chain identity and collectibles within luxury and gaming cultures. This achievement required more than technical innovation—it demanded a sophisticated understanding of how different communities perceive value and express identity. By speaking the cultural language of sneaker enthusiasts, gamers, and crypto natives simultaneously, Pagotto built bridges between previously separate worlds.
The implications of this work continue to reverberate throughout the blockchain industry. RTFKT’s success inspired countless imitators and innovators, spurring a creative explosion in digital fashion and virtual goods. While many projects failed to achieve similar success, the existence of a viable blueprint encouraged experimentation and investment across the sector. Pagotto’s vision essentially created an entirely new category of digital product with its own aesthetics, economics, and cultural codes.
Shaping the Future of Fashion
Traditional fashion brands paid close attention to RTFKT’s trajectory, with many subsequently launching their own NFT collections and metaverse initiatives. Pagotto’s work demonstrated that digital fashion wasn’t merely complementary to physical products—it could be an entirely distinct category with unique value propositions. This realization prompted fundamental reconsiderations of business models, creative processes, and consumer relationships throughout the fashion industry.
The integration of technology and fashion under Pagotto’s guidance also influenced how designers and brands approach innovation more broadly. By showing that fashion could be programmable, dynamic, and interactive in ways impossible with physical garments, he expanded the creative palette available to designers. Digital fashion could change based on context, respond to owner preferences, or evolve over time—possibilities that continue inspiring new creative directions.
His emphasis on community-driven development and co-creation with consumers also influenced broader trends in fashion marketing and product development. Rather than dictating trends from above, RTFKT engaged its community in ongoing dialogues about direction and values. This approach resonated particularly strongly with younger consumers who expect authentic engagement and meaningful participation from the brands they support.
The Sudden Loss and Industry Response
A Community in Mourning
News of Pagotto’s passing was first reported by Philippe Rodriguez, who described him as both client and friend while noting the sudden nature of his death. The shock reverberated instantly across social media platforms, with tributes pouring in from across the crypto community, fashion world, and creative industries. The spontaneous outpouring reflected not only professional respect but genuine personal affection for someone who had touched countless lives through his work and interactions.
Industry leaders, fellow entrepreneurs, and community members shared memories highlighting Pagotto’s generosity, vision, and infectious enthusiasm. Many noted his willingness to mentor emerging creators, share insights freely, and champion others’ successes alongside his own. These testimonials painted a picture of someone who understood that building the future required collaboration and mutual support rather than competition and secrecy.
The timing of this loss feels particularly poignant given the current state of the NFT market and Web3 industry. After experiencing dramatic highs and subsequent corrections, the sector continues searching for sustainable models and meaningful applications. Pagotto’s passing removes a voice that consistently advocated for quality, authenticity, and genuine utility over hype and speculation, exactly the perspective the industry needs as it matures.
Legacy and Unfinished Dreams
Following Nike’s announcement in December 2024 that it would wind down RTFKT operations, Pagotto continued serving as senior director of brand and partnerships at Nike. This role allowed him to apply lessons learned from RTFKT to Nike’s broader digital strategy while working on new initiatives. Though RTFKT’s closure disappointed many fans, Pagotto had spoken optimistically about future possibilities and continued evolution in digital fashion.
The winding down of RTFKT operations before Pagotto’s passing adds another layer of complexity to his legacy. While the brand’s closure initially sparked concerns about the viability of digital fashion generally, industry observers noted that RTFKT had accomplished its primary mission: proving that digital fashion could work at scale. The lessons learned and capabilities developed now inform broader industry strategies, ensuring that Pagotto’s innovations will continue influencing the space even without RTFKT’s active presence.
Questions inevitably arise about what additional innovations Pagotto might have pioneered had he been given more time. His combination of fashion sensibility, technological fluency, and community-building expertise remained rare in an industry often dominated by technologists who lack a fashion background or fashion professionals who struggle with technology. The loss of this unique perspective represents a genuine setback for the industry’s continued development.
Remembering Benoît Pagotto’s Philosophy
Quality Over Quantity
Throughout his career, Pagotto consistently emphasized quality and community as essential factors in NFT evolution. He argued against the unsustainable practice of endless minting and constant drops that characterized many Web3 projects during peak hype cycles. Instead, he advocated for thoughtful creation, genuine utility, and sustainable engagement models that could weather market volatility and maintain community trust.
This philosophy positioned RTFKT as a premium brand within the digital collectibles space, establishing it as the Supreme or Off-White of the metaverse—brands that commanded loyalty through cultural relevance rather than mere speculation. Pagotto understood that lasting value came from authentic cultural contributions rather than artificial scarcity or manipulative The World of Web3 tactics. This approach sometimes meant slower growth but created more durable foundations.
His focus on bridging communities rather than creating exclusive silos also distinguished his approach. While many projects cultivated insular communities suspicious of outsiders, Pagotto worked to create welcoming environments that could grow and evolve. He recognized that the Web3 ecosystem would ultimately succeed or fail based on its ability to attract and retain mainstream audiences rather than remaining a niche interest for crypto enthusiasts.
Art, Technology, and Humanity
The bridge Pagotto built between art, technology, and humanity represented his core contribution to Web3. He rejected the notion that technological innovation should be pursued for its own sake, instead insisting that technology serve fundamentally human needs for self-expression, connection, and meaning. This humanistic approach to blockchain technology offered an alternative to the purely financial or technical discussions that often dominate crypto discourse.
His work demonstrated that digital art and virtual fashion could carry genuine emotional resonance and cultural significance. By treating digital creations with the same seriousness traditionally reserved for physical art and fashion, he helped establish new categories of creative expression with their own aesthetic standards and cultural contexts. This legitimization opened doors for countless digital artists and creators who previously struggled for recognition.
The integration of these three elements—art, technology, and humanity—remains Pagotto’s most enduring legacy. As the blockchain ecosystem continues evolving, the projects that succeed will likely be those that maintain this balance, using sophisticated technology to enable artistic expression that serves genuine human needs. Pagotto’s example provides a roadmap for this approach, even as the specific technologies and platforms continue changing.
Conclusion
The passing of Benoît Pagotto at just forty-one years old represents an immeasurable loss for the Web3 community, digital fashion industry, and creative technology sector. His vision transformed theoretical possibilities into practical realities, demonstrating that digital fashion and NFT culture could be more than speculative assets—they could be meaningful forms of self-expression and cultural participation. Through RTFKT’s groundbreaking work and subsequent partnership with Nike, Pagotto established digital fashion as a legitimate industry with sustainable business models and genuine cultural relevance.
His legacy extends beyond specific products or partnerships to encompass broader contributions to how we think about ownership, identity, and creativity in digital spaces. The concepts he pioneered—phygital integration, community-driven development, and technology in service of human values—will continue shaping the Web3 industry for years to come. As the sector matures and searches for sustainable paths forward, Pagotto’s emphasis on quality, authenticity, and genuine utility provides essential guidance.
The widespread grief following his sudden passing testifies to his impact not merely as an entrepreneur or innovator but as a mentor, collaborator, and friend to countless individuals across multiple industries. His willingness to share knowledge, support emerging creators, and champion others’ successes created ripple effects throughout the communities he touched. While his physical presence has been lost, the principles he championed and the possibilities he demonstrated will continue inspiring the next generation of digital fashion pioneers and Web3 builders.
As the world of blockchain technology and digital culture continues evolving, Benoît Pagotto’s contributions will be remembered as foundational. He proved that technology and fashion could merge to create entirely new forms of expression, that digital ownership could be meaningful and valuable, and that building the future requires equal attention to technological capability and human values. His life’s work stands as a testament to what becomes possible when vision, creativity, and execution align in service of genuinely innovative ideas.
FAQs
Q: Who was Benoît Pagotto and why was he significant to Web3?
Benoît Pagotto was the co-founder of RTFKT Studios, a pioneering digital fashion company that revolutionized the NFT and Web3 space. He helped establish digital fashion as a legitimate industry by creating high-value virtual sneakers and collectibles that merged blockchain technology with streetwear culture. His work at RTFKT, which Nike acquired in 2021, demonstrated that digital items could hold genuine cultural and monetary value, inspiring countless projects and helping mainstream NFTs beyond the crypto community. His vision of bridging art, technology, and humanity fundamentally shaped how the Web3 industry approaches digital fashion and virtual goods.
Q: What was RTFKT, and what made it revolutionary?
RTFKT Studios was a digital fashion company that created virtual sneakers, collectibles, and wearables using NFT technology. What made RTFKT revolutionary was its ability to merge gaming culture, sneaker enthusiasm, and blockchain technology into products that resonated across multiple communities. The company pioneered “phygital” fashion—items that existed in both digital and physical forms—and demonstrated that virtual goods could command premium prices and strong community loyalty. RTFKT’s success in selling millions of dollars in digital sneakers within minutes proved the commercial viability of digital fashion and influenced how major brands approach the metaverse.
Q: How did Nike’s acquisition of RTFKT impact the digital fashion industry?
Nike’s acquisition of RTFKT in December 2021 represented a watershed moment for digital fashion, signaling mainstream corporate acceptance of NFTs and virtual goods. This purchase by a global sportswear giant validated the entire sector, encouraging other traditional brands to explore Web3 opportunities. Following the acquisition, Nike became the leading brand in metaverse fashion, generating approximately one hundred eighty-five million dollars in NFT sales. The deal demonstrated that digital fashion wasn’t merely a speculative trend but a strategic business opportunity with significant revenue potential, fundamentally changing how the fashion industry views virtual products.
Q: What is the current state of RTFKT after Pagotto’s passing?
Nike announced in December 2024 that it would wind down RTFKT operations, though Benoît Pagotto continued working at Nike as senior director of brand and partnerships until his recent passing. While RTFKT’s closure as an independent brand disappointed many fans, industry observers note that the company accomplished its primary mission: proving that digital fashion could succeed at scale. The technologies, processes, and insights developed at RTFKT continue to inform Nike’s broader digital strategy and have influenced the entire digital fashion sector. The lessons learned from RTFKT’s success will likely continue shaping how brands approach Web3 and virtual goods.
Q: What lessons can the Web3 industry learn from Benoît Pagotto’s approach?
Pagotto’s approach offers several crucial lessons for the Web3 industry: prioritize quality over quantity in product development, build genuine communities rather than speculative audiences, ensure technology serves human needs rather than existing for its own sake, and create real utility rather than relying solely on hype. His emphasis on bridging traditional culture with emerging technology demonstrates that successful Web3 projects must respect established creative communities while pioneering new possibilities. Additionally, his focus on sustainable engagement models rather than endless minting provides a blueprint for projects seeking longevity beyond initial hype cycles. These principles remain essential as the industry matures and searches for sustainable growth paths.
