LIC — Leather International Cuir — is a Belgian handcraft atelier founded in 1971 by Yves Thomas in Oostende, Belgium. Thomas was trained at the renowned French leather craft school Atelier Grégoire and shaped further by years of experience at a prestigious luxury leather goods manufacturer before establishing his own workshop. More than fifty years later, LIC remains family-owned and operated, with original craftsmen from the company's early days still working in the Oostende atelier.

The brand's philosophy rests on three words: authenticity, excellence, and service. Every LIC strap passes through more than one hundred manual steps — from raw leather hide to finished product — each requiring precise hand operations and extraordinary attention to detail. Premium leathers are sourced directly from France and Italy's most prestigious tanneries, including Alligator, Croco, Baranil, Epsom, Cavallo, Patina, Nubuck, and Saffiano among others.

LIC has built its reputation as a trusted partner of renowned watch brands and prestigious boutiques worldwide. The brand describes its craft as "the art of dressing watches" — an expression that captures the conviction that a great strap is not an accessory, but a completion. As LIC states: "The satisfaction of our customers is the guideline in everything we do."

With over half a century of uninterrupted production in its Belgian workshop, LIC-Leather stands as one of the longest-established independent strap makers in the world — a house where traditional technique and genuine craftsmanship have never been substituted for convenience.