As is the Glass tradition (we have now reached the grand old age of two and a half years don’t you know), we decided to put our theme, trust, to an array of the world’s finest talent, from supermodels and photographers to film directors and architects in a bid to understand the modern perception of the word.

 You won’t fail to notice that this autumn issue has a decidedly Chinese flavour. Glass has always been proud of its Chinese readership and our strong links with Chinese talent so we decided to do what others are only writing about. With so much speculation about the state of play in China, for artists, fashion, film, even the construction of cities, we decided to put our contacts to use and create a dedicated China issue. Every article helps to shed light on the various aspects of Chinese culture which may have previously seemed alien in the West, and similarly to provide an incisive look into relatively new artistic fields in China, such as photography and the neonatal industry of China’s home-grown model agencies, the origins of which even most Chinese citizens are unaware, such is the speed of the country’s explosive cultural growth.

The style section features rising star Jing Tian; the young actress has become a protégé of several eminent directors, insightful histories of Chinese calligraphy and photography, and interviews with Chen Man, now one of the world’s most in-demand fashion photographers, and the iconic designers Dolce & Gabbana.

In our first ever all-Asian fashion section we were privileged to photograph the Glass team’s favourite Chinese supermodels, Ming Xi and Shu Pei, as well as rising stars we pip for great success. Legendary film director Wu Tianming, often hailed as the godfather of modern Chinese cinema, grants us a heartfelt and inspiring interview, encouraging us to seek out the human element in everything we do, and Hong Kong correspondent Samantha Leese follows a group of prominent artists on their mission to give a future to the children and young people left disabled following China’s horrific earthquakes.

Throughout the issue, the recurrent theme and beliefs surrounding trust seems to be that it is felt most strongly where love is also present. When asked who they trusted most in the world, almost all of our participants responded, “My family,” or even, “My future husband,” safe in the knowledge that where there is deep love, there is also a guarantee, some form of insurance, against a betrayal of trust. But if we are to engage in international discourse, which is so vital to our modern world, trust is an intrinsic component, so perhaps where we want to feel trust, we also need to spread a little love? We hope you will enjoy our latest issue.