Nike’s RTFKT Imprint Is Over, But It Isn't Bowing Out Quietly
Nike's RTFKT is closing its final chapter with one last drop — and it happens to be its most disruptive yet.
After four years, Nike has shut down RTFKT, a virtual fashion and technology brand that created one-of-a-kind sneakers and NFTs. The decision to dissolve likely comes as a result of declining interest in NFTs in recent years. The digital disruptor won’t go out without a bang, though. As its last hurrah, RTFKT is dropping the MNLTH X Blade collection, designed in collaboration with 3D printing company Zellerfeld.
The collection, available on Zellerfeld's website on January 16, includes six sneaker models: the RTFKT Dunk, CodeX Dunk, Bladed Dragon, Undead Evo, Reptile Evo and the aptly titled Cybr Stomper, a boxy silhouette fit for a cyborg. Unlike previous RTFKT Nike sneakers, this latest collection abandons traditional Nike silhouettes like the Air Force 1 for more obscure builds like the Undead Evo, which boasts a midsole resembling a reptile jaw, molars and all.
RTFKT wasn't around for a long time but in its short life, it redefined the intersection of technology and fashion through first-in-kind collaborations with cultural tastemakers like Takashi Murakami and Byredo, bringing 2D fashion and beauty into the third dimension.
Alas, parting is such sweet sorrow. RTFKT will be missed and remembered as one of digital fashion's biggest triumphs. RIP!
