The skies of Web3 are very dark. After the crypto storms, the sector now loses one of its most emblematic pioneers. The sudden death of Benoît Pagotto, co-founder of RTFKT — a company acquired by Nike — leaves a considerable void in the digital fashion world. Pagotto was not running just a simple NFT company: he carried a vision, a dream, a bridge between art, technology, and humanity. And now, all that dream seems suspended.
Benoît Pagotto, 41 years old, co-founded RTFKT in 2020 with Steven Vasilev and Chris Le. The idea? To merge sneakers, digital art, and blockchain culture. Three months after its creation, the studio sold virtual sneakers for over $3.1 million. One year later, Nike bought the gem. The story was underway.
One of the major coups: the Clone X series, co-created with Takashi Murakami. Nearly $120 million generated in cumulative sales. “He believed that beauty could change the world”, wrote Philippe Rodriguez on LinkedIn.
He will remain the entrepreneur, super creative, discreet, and humble. Passionate but always reasonable, he inspired as much as he sought inspiration from others.
Pagotto embodied a rare alchemy between aesthetic demand and technical knowledge. His influence went far beyond French borders: from Japan to Silicon Valley, his name resonated in luxury circles as well as in Web3.
When Nike announced the acquisition of RTFKT in 2021, the Web3 world rejoiced. The promises were many: linking NFTs with physical items, integration into Roblox, trademarks for virtual clothing. Everything seemed aligned to conquer the metaverse.
But the momentum faltered. By 2023, NFTs lost some of their appeal, collectors grumbled, the infrastructure faltered. In April 2024, NFT images temporarily disappeared due to a server outage. And simultaneously, a $5 million lawsuit hit Nike for “broken promises” toward NFT holders.
Steven Vasilev pays tribute to his co-founder:
The vision, mission, and inspiration that Benoît offered to the world will live forever.
The Web3 community mourns a genius. But beyond the emotion, the facts testify to his legacy.
Beyond his economic successes, Benoît Pagotto was marked by uncompromising creativity. Former RTFKT CTO Samuel Cardillo spoke frankly on X: he described a character both “grumpy Parisian cliché” and “unfiltered genius,” capable of saying things bluntly while raising crows on his windowsill.
This anecdote, half-poetic half-fantastical, says everything about this extraordinary character.
Nike’s Web3 journey has not been a smooth ride. In April, the company was sued for NFT fraud. A story where millions, digital promises, and disillusions intertwine. With the passing of Benoît Pagotto, a certain vision of Web3 — that of the link between beauty and technology — fades a little.
