RTFKT Co-Founder Benoît Pagotto Dies at 41

Tributes from across the crypto and digital fashion worlds poured in following the sudden passing of Benoît Pagotto, with colleagues and collaborators describing him as “super creative,” “discreet and humble,” and “passionate but always reasonable.” Philippe Rodriguez, a French tech executive and longtime associate, first shared news of Pagotto’s death on LinkedIn, noting that the RTFKT co-founder believed “that beauty could change the world.” The sentiment was echoed throughout the crypto community, highlighting Pagotto’s impact beyond mere business success.

RTFKT co-founder Steven Vasilev commented on the news, writing that “the vision, mission and inspiration [Benoît] gave to the world will live on forever.” Former RTFKT CTO Samuel Cardillo offered a more personal remembrance, describing Pagotto as “a grumpy Parisian cliché, an asshole and genius” who spoke his mind “without filters,” adding that he hoped his dear friend would “respawn as a badass mean crow.” Bored Ape Yacht Club co-founder Greg Solano, known online as Garga.eth, recalled Pagotto as “one of the kindest, funniest people I met in crypto,” noting how he offered help “when we were nobodies” and remained genuine even after achieving success.

Pagotto’s legacy is inextricably linked to RTFKT, the digital fashion studio he co-founded in 2020 with Chris Le and Steven Vasilev. Under his creative direction, the company rose to prominence by merging luxury design, gaming, and crypto culture through innovative virtual sneakers and digital collectibles. The studio became particularly known for its Clone X × Takashi Murakami series, which helped establish RTFKT as one of the defining digital-asset brands during the last crypto bull run.

The company’s rapid ascent caught the attention of sportswear giant Nike, which acquired RTFKT in December 2021. Following the acquisition, Pagotto continued to lead creative initiatives that explored physical-linked NFTs and digital drops designed to bridge traditional sneaker culture with on-chain identity. His work represented a pioneering effort to bring established fashion and sportswear brands into the Web3 space, creating new models for digital ownership and brand engagement.

Despite its early success, RTFKT faced significant challenges in recent months. Nike began winding down RTFKT operations late last year, though Pagotto continued to speak publicly on behalf of the brand. In April, the company encountered technical difficulties when images for several of its Ethereum-based collections briefly disappeared due to a cloud-hosting failure that disrupted off-chain storage links. Former CTO Samuel Cardillo described the issue as a “temporary infrastructure problem,” but it exposed how centralized dependencies could undermine the permanence that RTFKT had promised to its community.

The same month brought even greater legal challenges, as RTFKT and its parent company Nike were hit with a $5 million class-action lawsuit from NFT holders. The federal complaint alleged that Nike had touted RTFKT’s NFTs as premium investments, then abandoned them by shutting down the studio and ending support—a move plaintiffs characterized as a “soft rug pull.” The lawsuit claimed Nike misled buyers about the long-term value of their tokens, representing a significant challenge to the brand Pagotto had helped build.

Pagotto’s passing marks the loss of a key figure who helped define the digital fashion landscape during a critical period of growth and innovation in the crypto space. His work at RTFKT demonstrated how traditional luxury and streetwear aesthetics could be translated into the digital realm, creating new forms of cultural expression and community engagement. The tributes from across the industry reflect not only his professional accomplishments but also the personal connections he forged throughout his career.

As the digital fashion and NFT sectors continue to evolve, Pagotto’s contributions through RTFKT will likely remain influential. His ability to bridge physical sneaker culture with on-chain identity created new possibilities for brand expression in Web3, even as the industry faces ongoing challenges around sustainability, infrastructure, and regulatory scrutiny. While the circumstances surrounding his death remain undisclosed, his impact on the intersection of fashion, gaming, and cryptocurrency is undeniable.