“A newfound guilty pleasure… I guess finding a day when I have nothing and I can kind of just go for a walk aimlessly, and sit and read a book for hours,” Elliot Page tells us. It’s not exactly something one should ever feel guilty for indulging, but as he explains, “I think that feels luxurious and very nice right now, in moments. I’d say that’s something in the past that I couldn’t enjoy before, because I didn’t really know how to be still. And now those mean a lot. So yeah, taking a day like that, to me, is a bit of a guilty pleasure for sure.”

It’s 10:20 on a Friday morning over in New York City. Page is dressed casually in a black T-shirt and greets us with a smile. There’s no sense of weariness or jet lag, considering he’s had quite a schedule. Page was in Milan for Demna’s debut as Gucci’s newest creative director, where he starred opposite a stacked cast including Demi Moore and Ed Harris. When he got back to New York City, Page posted an Instagram Story of him participating in a pro-Palestinian march, while the evening before our chat, he was co-hosting a virtual screening of Gaza: Journalists Under Fire.

If you’re familiar with Page’s career and personal pursuits, these wouldn’t come as a surprise. The actor has constantly balanced his artistic inclinations with his humanitarian beliefs. And tirelessly so, might we add.

When Page was announced as one of the trio of faces fronting Gucci Guilty’s campaign in 2023, it came on the heels of his transition. It was a pivotal time of his life and career; his character on Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy was written to reflect him coming into himself. In some ways, Page’s involvement best represented Gucci Guilty’s story of self-love and elegance—that there’s absolutely nothing to be guilty of when you’re accepting your own truth.

ESQUIRE SINGAPORE: You were in the Gucci Guilty campaign with Julia Garner and A$AP Rocky back in 2023. What were some of the fond memories from shooting that campaign?

ELLIOT PAGE: The fond memory was getting to spend time with those two. We—I mean, I think I’m speaking for all of us—just kind of really, immediately connected. We felt comfortable with each other, with the closeness and the intimacy, and we genuinely had so much fun. I mean, we spent a solid four days together, and when it ended, it was sad to say goodbye. So the greatest joy for me is when I’m walking and I see one of the images or something, and I think how wonderful it felt to work with those two artists whom I admire.

ESQ: We’re here to talk about the new iteration of Gucci Guilty, Gucci Guilty Absolu de Parfum. How would you describe the scent?

EP: When I first smelled it, I felt like I was going out for a date in the evening—a sexy dinner date. There’s this classic nostalgia; the depths of smells like coffee and rum. Sensuality is what I got from this.

ESQ: Coffee and rum—are you a coffee person?

EP: Yes, absolutely. Always want a coffee.

ESQ: You’ve played a lot of different characters throughout your career. Have there been instances in workshopping a character, where fragrances or how a character smells, played an important role?

EP: That’s a really good question. And no, [I’ve never done that], but now that you’re saying it, do you mind if I use that? That’s actually a good idea. I can absolutely imagine finding a character style, the way they move and stuff via a smell.

ESQ: You’ve worked with Gucci for years now across fashion and fragrances. What synergy do you find between yourself and Gucci?

EP: Oh, goodness. I felt lucky that they wanted me to be involved at all, you know? Maybe the thing I’ve really enjoyed so much is their openness, imagination, and creativity, and wanting to collaborate. They have, in so many ways, created the space to have synergy. I’ve mostly been really, really grateful for their openness and kindness, and just having me be a part of it.

ESQ: You’ve also witnessed Gucci under different creative visions. What excites you about this new era under Demna?

EP: Of course, I have loved all the clothes that I got to wear before and now. I think Demna is a visionary, with such a creative imagination. Getting Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn for this short, and to use such an amazing idea to launch all these new looks… I’m really excited and curious, as I imagine everyone is too, to see what’s next. So far, wearing the clothes has been an absolute joy, and the shoes are just incredible. People are going to like it and embrace it all.

ESQ: Talking about the short film, The Tiger, you were in it as Braxton Gucci. Do you think he would wear Gucci Guilty Absolu?

EP: Absolutely. Braxton Gucci would 100 per cent be representing the new fragrance. I can definitely see him wearing it.

ESQ: What have you learnt about fragrance since becoming the face of Gucci Guilty?

EP: I’ve learnt just how much of a world it is, you know? I wasn’t as familiar with the worlds of scents and fragrances. I’ve embraced fashion more and find more joy in it now in my life, feeling the way that I do. Fragrance has also been a part of that. I think being part of Gucci Guilty opened me up to that whole world, and I now have a greater understanding of why fragrance becomes so much a part of someone’s self-expression.

ESQ: As someone who transitioned and had to reclaim and rediscover your identity through how you dress, did you also have to do the same when it comes to fragrances?

EP: Well, I think, knowing or imagining who I am and how I should be—the incongruence of that throughout my life—I will say that with fragrance, I’m drawn to very specific scents ever since I was a little kid. You know, musky, sandalwood, earthy… I mean, do we need to gender scents? But what we call a “masculine” scent, that has sort of always been the case for me.

I supposed now in my life—as is the case with lots of other things like clothing or what have you—all of that came together. It’s part of feeling aligned with yourself and that you’re getting to reflect on who you are in the world. What’s attracted me about fragrances has always stayed the same and now I think I’ve embraced it more in my life.

ESQ: It feels whole and complete, I gather.

EP: Yeah.

ESQ: We often tie scents to memories. Is there one that instantly conjures a specific memory for you?

EP: If I’m in the northeast and I’m getting a smell of the ocean and that salty air, I’m immediately taken back to Nova Scotia, climbing the rocks with my mum. It will just immediately make me nostalgic and sends me somewhere else. I’d say that’s probably one of the strongest scent memories that I have.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Gucci Absolu de Parfum Pour Homme and Gucci Absolu de Parfum Pour Femme are now available in boutiques and online.