Lucy Cleland is a highly respected figure in British media, best known for her role as co-founder and Editorial Director of Country & Town House, a luxury lifestyle magazine with a strong emphasis on authenticity, culture, sustainability, and refined aesthetics. Her editorial leadership has been instrumental in carving out a niche where considered journalism meets gorgeous visuals, appealing to readers who want beauty and meaning in equal measure. As a pioneer in the B Corp publishing space,Lucy Cleland isn’t just keeping up with media trends — she’s helping define what modern, conscientious luxury media looks like. Country and Town House+3Country and Town House+3THE ORG+3
Her background illustrates a blend of classical education, editorial experience, and entrepreneurial spirit. Having studied Classics at University College London (UCL), Lucy Cleland deep training in critical thinking, cultural history, storytelling, and the humanities has provided a strong foundation for her editorial sensitivity. Before launching Country & Town House, she held roles at prominent publishers such as Condé Nast Britain, where she began learning both creative and business aspects of magazine production. These early experiences equipped her with the breadth of skills to later build a media brand from the ground up. THE ORG+2influenceonline.co.uk+2
In founding Country & Town House in 2007, Lucy Cleland envisioned a magazine for people who straddle city and country life — those who value both the elegance of urban culture and the calm beauty of rural escapes. She believed luxury should be layered: not merely in material elegance, but in values, in mindful consumption, in stories that give readers a richer connection to the things they own, the places they visit, and the people they admire. Over time, as markets, technologies, and ethical expectations evolved, Lucy Cleland has steered her publication to adapt and innovate without losing its core identity. influenceonline.co.uk+2Country and Town House+2
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Education and Early Interests
Lucy Cleland educational path laid the groundwork for her appreciation of storytelling, culture, and depth. She attended St. Paul’s Girls’ School for her secondary education, and later went on to study Classics at UCL, graduating with First Class Honours. Her academic training in Classics—history, literature, languages—cultivated an ability to think across disciplines, to see connections, and to value narrative, which are key in her editorial work. THE ORG+2influenceonline.co.uk+2
Even early in her career, Lucy Cleland interest wasn’t just in glossy imagery or luxurious aesthetics, but in what lies beneath: who made a thing, how it was made, what story it tells. Passion for ethical work, environmental stewardship, and cultural richness appear in her public commentary and editorial decisions. As a young editor, these weren’t only talking points—they were guiding principles. Her early interest in media that goes beyond superficial beauty set her apart from contemporaries who focused purely on glamour, and this would become a defining characteristic of her work. Country and Town House+1
Entering the Media Industry
Lucy Cleland started her professional journey with roles at Condé Nast Britain. There, she worked in what was then Condé Nast’s contract publishing division, giving her exposure to both editorial and business sides of magazines, and fast-tracking her learning about what makes a magazine not only beautiful but sustainable as a business. She then moved into roles that involved launching localized, high-end magazines—magazines delivered to upscale neighborhoods like Notting Hill and Chiswick—where she honed her understanding of audience, content strategy, and the brand partnerships that sustain luxury publishing. influenceonline.co.uk+1
In 2007, Lucy Cleland and her husband founded Country & Town House. This step followed her earlier work editing for Archant and Condé Nast and came just before the global financial crisis. Facing economic upheaval early on, she had to adapt fast — shifting focus from just property and estate advertising to broader lifestyle sections including interiors, travel, culture, and style. That ability to pivot, to see what the audience truly wanted, and to stay relevant even in hard times has been central to her leadership and the magazine’s longevity. influenceonline.co.uk+2Country and Town House+2
The Rise of Country & Town House: Lucy Cleland’s Editorial Vision
Founding and Growth of the Magazine
When Country & Town House launched in 2007, the concept was fresh: appeal to readers who lead dual lives — professional and urban, but who also cherish country retreats, interiors, fine dining, travel, cultural explorations. The initial model leaned heavily on property advertising, with the idea that readers would invest in country homes etc. However, the 2008 financial crisis threatened that model. Lucy Cleland response was strategic diversification: the magazine expanded its content pillars to include interiors, travel, fashion, style, wellness, and culture more robustly. This shift made the brand more resilient and attractive to a wider luxury audience. influenceonline.co.uk+1
Over the years, Country & Town House has evolved into a multi-platform luxury lifestyle brand. While print remains central to its identity, the magazine now embraces digital content, newsletters, events, and strategic partnerships. Lucy Cleland has maintained the high visual and editorial standards of print, using it as a space for inspiration and slow, intentional reading, while also leveraging online tools to reach global audiences. Being B Corp certified has played into this evolution: clarity of values around sustainability, responsibility, ethics. THE ORG+2influenceonline.co.uk+2
Editorial Philosophy and Leadership Style
Lucy Cleland editorial philosophy can be summarised in a few key values: authenticity, sustainability, considered luxury, and storytelling with purpose. She often speaks of “buy less, buy better,” a credo that implies consumer ethics, durability of design, craftsmanship, transparency. Under her direction, Country & Town House doesn’t shy away from highlighting the origin of goods, environmental impacts, and the human stories behind design. She pairs inspiring visuals with thoughtful content—books, interviews, profiles—that challenge readers to reflect as much as enjoy. Country and Town House+1
Her leadership style is collaborative yet vision-driven. As a founder-led business, editorial and commercial decisions often intersect directly with core values. Lucy Cleland emphasises mentorship, letting her editorial team explore bold ideas while maintaining consistency of quality. She has publicly highlighted the importance of team loyalty, resilience, and a sense of mission — especially in times when media as an industry is under pressure. Her motto of “a life in balance” applies not only to content but to how she leads her own life and the working culture at her magazine. Country and Town House+1
Transitioning from Print to Digital
Lucy Cleland has treated digital expansion not as a threat to print, but as a complement. The magazine maintains its strong print presence, valuing the tactile, contemplative experience that only paper can provide. But she’s also embraced newsletters, online features, social media, and branded content to reach readership beyond what print alone can sustain. Digital channels have allowed Country & Town House to be more immediate, dynamic, and interactive. influenceonline.co.uk+1
Moreover, Lucy’s thinking around digital is strongly tied to sustainability and ethics. She has spoken and written on how technologies such as AI, supply chain tracking (e.g. blockchain), and digital tools should be used to improve transparency, reduce waste, and make luxury more meaningful. She insists that while digital can scale reach, it must respect environmental costs — from carbon footprint to the integrity of materials and storytelling. This ethical digital mindset distinguishes her editorial approach in an era where many brands chase followers at any cost. culturalcomms.co.uk+1
Advocacy for Sustainable and Conscious Living
Championing Sustainability in Luxury Media
One of Lucy Cleland’s clearest contributions to lifestyle media is her insistence that sustainability isn’t peripheral—it’s central to what luxury should be. Under her guidance, Country & Town House became one of the world’s first glossy magazines certified as a B Corp, signifying that the magazine meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. This status reflects her belief that luxury must come with responsibility. THE ORG+1
Lucy often advocates a “buy less, buy better” approach — emphasizing quality, craftsmanship, provenance, durability over fast consumption. She emphasizes educating readers about where products come from, how they are made, and what impact they have. Her editorial content frequently features makers, designers, and brands who are doing something better — ethically, sustainably, or in ways that respect both people and planet. This approach resonates with audiences increasingly concerned about climate, fairness, and meaning in what they buy. Country and Town House+1
Promoting Female Empowerment and Creative Voices
Lucy Cleland has also made intentional efforts to use her platform to amplify female voices, creatives, and underrepresented perspectives. Whether through interviews with women in design, culture, politics, or sustainability, Country & Town House under Lucy’s direction makes space for voices that might otherwise be overlooked. Her commentary often melds glamour with gravity — celebrating beauty while also raising awareness of social, environmental, and political issues. Country and Town House+1
She is also involved in advisory boards, such as the British Beauty Council, that influence industry standards around ethics, transparency, and responsibility. Through this, Lucy participates not only in content creation but in shaping how the luxury, beauty, and lifestyle industries operate — pushing for a more inclusive, more thoughtful future in media and culture. Country and Town House+1
Personal Philosophy and Insights
Lucy Cleland’s View on Modern Success
For Lucy, success is not just measured in circulation numbers, ad revenue, or digital reach — though those matter. More meaningfully, she values impact: the ability to influence readers toward more thoughtful living, to highlight ethical craftsmanship, to provoke reflection as well as admiration. She believes that luxury must evolve; it must serve higher ideals of sustainability, social responsibility, and authenticity. Absolutely resisting superficial trends, she strives for content that lasts, that inspires, that holds both beauty and ethical weight. influenceonline.co.uk+1
She has said that being founder-led affords her flexibility to reinvent when necessary. For example, diversifying content pillars after the economic downturn, sharpening focus on sustainability as global awareness increases, integrating values like transparency, ethics and provenance into editorial decisions. Modern success, in her eyes, is balancing aesthetics with conscience. That balance is perhaps what her readers value most — a magazine that feels aspirational but not distant; indulgent but not irresponsible. influenceonline.co.uk+1
Work-Life Balance and Inspirations
Despite the high-pressure world of luxury media, Lucy makes a point of “living a balanced life,” as the magazine’s motto goes. She divides her time between London (Acton) and the New Forest, balancing the hustle of editorial leadership with time outdoors, nature, family, and reflection. This duality — city and country, work and rest — is both literal in her life and conceptual in her magazine’s identity. Country and Town House+1
Her inspirations are varied: people who challenge norms, designers who push ethical production, writers who ask big questions, and nature itself. Personal interest in sustainability, provenance, travel, craftsmanship, and community shapes her worldview. She also values the small things — beautiful objects, quiet moments, learning, adapting. These inspirations continually feed back into how she leads her editorial team and shapes Country & Town House. Country and Town House+1
Impact and Legacy
Lucy Cleland’s influence in luxury lifestyle media is multifaceted. She has contributed to shifting expectations around what luxury looks like: beyond opulence, to include ethics, sustainability, provenance, and meaning. As co-founder and Editorial Director of Country & Town House, she has built a brand that is respected for its aesthetics and its values. The magazine has become a model for luxury titles seeking to make their content more thoughtful and their operations more responsible. Country and Town House+2THE ORG+2
Her legacy also includes the rise of readers who expect more from luxury media — more transparency, more environmental and social awareness, stories of makers and artisans, not just of consumption. The fact that Country & Town House is B Corp certified underscores her commitment to a greater purpose. The magazine’s editorial direction under her leadership has helped normalize conversations about sustainability, responsible purchasing, and the importance of balancing aesthetics with ethics. THE ORG+1
Looking forward, Lucy’s continued investment in digital channels, in initiatives like Future Icons Awards (celebrating brands doing ethical and creative work), and her commentary on topics like AI and sustainability, show she won’t rest on past successes. Her work suggests that luxury and sustainability will become more deeply intertwined in how we consume culture and how media serves us. Her readers can expect more innovation, more responsibility, and more beautiful storytelling. LinkedIn+1
Conclusion
Lucy Cleland stands as one of the few editors and media founders who truly embody the idea that luxury can do better — that beauty and values need not be in opposition. Through her work at Country & Town House, she has shown that thoughtful, high-quality media can be profitable, influential, and moral. Her vision of sustainable luxury, authenticity, and storytelling with purpose resonates deeply in an era when readers increasingly question what they consume and how.
Her journey — from early editorial roles, through launching and growing a magazine in volatile economic times, to leading a B Corp-certified brand that demands more from luxury media — is inspiring not just for media professionals, but anyone interested in culture, design, ethics, and impact. Lucy’s legacy will likely be measured by how she has helped steer lifestyle journalism toward a more conscious future.
For those inspired by her work, the lesson is clear: care about what you create, hold fast to values, adapt gracefully, and always seek to balance beauty with significance.
FAQs about Lucy Cleland
Who is Lucy Cleland and what is she best known for?
Lucy Cleland is the co-founder and Editorial Director of Country & Town House, known for her leadership in luxury lifestyle media, especially in promoting sustainability, ethical consumption, and storytelling with purpose. Country and Town House+1
What is Country & Town House magazine?
Country & Town House is a British luxury lifestyle magazine that blends content on interiors, travel, wellbeing, culture, style, property, and food & drink. It aims to appeal to readers who value both urban sophistication and country living, with an emphasis on quality, sustainability, and considered luxury. influenceonline.co.uk+2Luxury Business Emporium+2
How did Lucy Cleland become Editor-in-Chief / Editorial Director?
After early roles at Condé Nast Britain and Archant, Lucy co-founded Country & Town House in 2007 with her husband. Her experience in contract publishing and high-end local magazines prepared her for leading a magazine with strong editorial quality and business acumen. influenceonline.co.uk+1
What are Lucy Cleland’s main editorial principles?
Her principles include authenticity, sustainability, provenance, thoughtful luxury, balancing aesthetics with meaning, and storytelling that uplifts and inspires rather than merely consumes. She also holds the belief of “buy less, buy better” and of educating readers about origin and impact. Country and Town House+1
How has she contributed to promoting sustainable luxury?
Lucy has made sustainability central to her editorial mission. Country & Town House is B Corp certified. She ensures content reflects ethical consumption, provenance, supply chain transparency, and highlights brands and makers doing good. She also includes discussions on the environmental impacts of technology and consumer habits. THE ORG+2culturalcomms.co.uk+2
Has Lucy Cleland received any awards or recognitions for her work?
Yes. Country & Town House won PPA Independent Publisher of the Year in 2022. Lucy’s leadership and vision have also been recognized within media, publishing, and luxury industry circles. LinkedIn+1
What advice does Lucy Cleland offer to those aspiring to work in lifestyle media?
She encourages aspiring media professionals to focus on authenticity, understand their audience, value storytelling, maintain high editorial standards, be adaptable, and hold fast to values — especially around sustainability and responsibility. Immerse yourself in learning both creative and business sides of media. influenceonline.co.uk+1
How does she balance her career and personal life?
Lucy divides her time between London (Acton) and the New Forest, integrating nature and family life into her routine. She believes in “a life in balance”—not only in content but in how she lives and leads her team. Country and Town House+1
What are her views on the future of print media?
She maintains that print has a unique, enduring value — as something tactile, slowing down the reader’s engagement, inspiring reflection. At the same time, she accepts and invests in digital content, online reach, newsletters, experience-driven media. Her view is that print and digital should complement one another. influenceonline.co.uk+1
Where can readers follow Lucy Cleland’s latest work or interviews?
You can follow her via Country & Town House’s print issues and digital platforms, her contributions on their website, and interviews in media outlets. She also participates in industry events, online discussions around luxury, sustainability, and media ethics. LinkedIn and the Country & Town House website are good places to find her thinking and new projects. influenceonline.co.uk+1
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