Sudden Loss in Web3 Community
The digital fashion world is mourning the unexpected passing of Benoît Pagotto, co-founder of RTFKT Studios. The 41-year-old French entrepreneur died suddenly, according to colleagues who confirmed the news over the weekend. Philippe Rodriguez, a longtime associate in the French tech scene, first shared word of Pagotto’s passing on LinkedIn early Sunday from Paris.
Rodriguez remembered Pagotto as “super creative, discreet and humble” in his tribute. He described his friend as someone who was “passionate but always reasonable” and who genuinely believed that beauty could change the world. The news spread quickly through crypto circles, with many expressing shock and sadness at the loss.
Tributes from Colleagues and Friends
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.” The sentiment was echoed across social media platforms where Web3 communities gathered to share memories.
Former RTFKT CTO Samuel Cardillo offered a more personal reflection, remembering Pagotto as “a grumpy Parisian cliché, an asshole and genius” who spoke his mind without filters. Despite the blunt description, Cardillo clearly held deep affection for his colleague, calling him “a unique human being” and expressing hope that Pagotto would “respawn as a badass mean crow.”
Bored Ape Yacht Club co-founder Greg Solano, known online as Garga.eth, shared particularly warm memories. He wrote that Pagotto was “one of the kindest, funniest people I met in crypto” and recalled how he offered help “when we were nobodies” and stayed genuine even after achieving success. Solano said he would miss Pagotto’s “big, boisterous laugh you could hear from across a restaurant.”
Building a Digital Fashion Legacy
Pagotto’s work at RTFKT helped define the intersection of luxury design, gaming, and crypto culture during the last bull market. Founded in 2020 with Chris Le and Steven Vasilev, the studio became known for its virtual sneakers and collectibles, most notably the Clone X × Takashi Murakami series that blended digital art with fashion.
The company’s rapid rise caught the attention of sportswear giant Nike, which acquired RTFKT in December 2021. Under Pagotto’s creative direction, the studio explored innovative concepts like physical-linked NFTs and digital drops that connected sneaker culture with on-chain identity. Even as Nike began winding down RTFKT operations late last year, Pagotto continued to speak publicly on behalf of the brand he helped build.
Recent Challenges and Legacy
The past year presented challenges for RTFKT. In April, technical issues caused images for several Ethereum-based collections to temporarily disappear when a cloud-hosting failure disrupted off-chain storage links. The incident highlighted the centralized dependencies that sometimes undermine the permanence promised by NFT projects.
Around the same time, RTFKT and Nike faced a $5 million class-action lawsuit from NFT holders who accused the company of misleading buyers about the long-term value of their tokens. The complaint alleged that Nike promoted RTFKT’s NFTs as premium investments, then abandoned them by shutting down the studio and ending support—what plaintiffs called a “soft rug pull.”
Despite these recent difficulties, Pagotto’s impact on the digital fashion and Web3 space remains significant. His vision helped shape how brands and creators think about digital identity, fashion, and community in blockchain environments.
At the time of writing, no official obituary or civil registry notice has appeared in French media, and the cause of death has not been disclosed. The Web3 community continues to share memories and tributes for a founder who helped bridge the worlds of high fashion, gaming, and cryptocurrency during a transformative period for digital assets.
