Gentle Mates entered the Valorant Champions Tour EMEA with the backing of Squeezie and Gotaga — two of France’s biggest digital personalities — and their 2024 VCT jersey served as the team’s visual identity on the international Valorant stage. The jersey appeared across VCT EMEA competition throughout 2024, building brand visibility with every broadcast appearance and establishing Gentle Mates as a legitimate force in European esports merchandise.
The Squeezie and Gotaga Factor
What makes Gentle Mates unique in the VCT landscape is the celebrity ownership model. Squeezie (Lucas Hauchard) is France’s most-subscribed YouTuber with over 18 million subscribers, while Gotaga (Corentin Houssein) is the country’s most recognized gaming content creator. Their combined audience dwarfs the marketing reach of most esports organizations, giving Gentle Mates an organic promotional engine that turns every jersey into a fashion statement for millions of followers.
This star power translates directly to merchandise demand. When Squeezie or Gotaga appear in Gentle Mates gear, the jersey is not just competitive apparel — it becomes a lifestyle product endorsed by two of the most trusted voices in French digital culture.
2024 VCT Jersey Design
The 2024 VCT jersey established the design foundation for one of the fastest-growing merchandise programs in European esports. Gentle Mates understood from day one that their audience expected design quality and brand coherence beyond standard esports merchandise, and the VCT jersey delivered on that expectation.
The jersey carried the team’s branding through the VCT EMEA season, appearing on broadcast during every match day. For a first-year VCT franchise, building visual recognition is critical — fans, casters, and casual viewers all associate the jersey design with the organization’s competitive identity. Gentle Mates treated their debut VCT season as a brand-building exercise as much as a competitive one, and the 2024 jersey was the centerpiece of that strategy.
Building Toward 2026
The demand for Gentle Mates apparel became even clearer with the release of the 2026 Official Jerseys in two colorways — Rose (Pink) and Noir (Black) — both of which sold out. That sell-out is a direct result of the brand equity built during the 2024 VCT season. The 2024 jersey was the starting point; it proved the appetite existed, and Gentle Mates responded by expanding their product line.
Sell-outs in esports merch are not accidents. They reflect limited production runs, strong brand affinity, and effective launch marketing — all three of which Gentle Mates executes at a high level. The trajectory from the 2024 VCT jersey to the sold-out 2026 kits tells a clear story of an organization that knows how to scale demand.
French VCT Rivalry
Gentle Mates sits alongside Karmine Corp and Team Vitality in representing France in competitive Valorant, creating a three-way rivalry that energizes French esports fans. Each organization brings a different identity to the table: Karmine Corp with its grassroots community power, Vitality with its institutional presence, and Gentle Mates with its content-creator-driven star power. The 2024 VCT jersey was Gentle Mates’ first statement in that rivalry.
More Gentle Mates Coverage
- Gentle Mates 2026 Official Jersey in Rose and Noir
- Gentle Mates x Lacoste Polo Collaboration 2025
- Karmine Corp 2023 LFL Jersey: The 40,000 Units Phenomenon
- Team Vitality x hummel 2023 Jersey
Where to Buy
Gentle Mates jerseys are available through the Gentle Mates store. The 2024 VCT jersey may have limited availability as the organization has since moved to updated designs for the 2026 season.
