Puckered lips, cheeks pulled in, chin tipped just so — the “duck face” is the most recognizable (and most gently mocked) pose of the social-media era. But it’s older than any phone. Hollywood glamour shots and runway models used the same soft pout for decades to full the lips and sharpen the cheekbones.
The nickname hit pop culture in 1994, when Four Weddings and a Funeralsaddled Hugh Grant’s pouty ex with the name “Duckface.” Seven years later, Zoolander’s “Blue Steel” cranked the pout to the absurd — and basically predicted the internet.
Then the front-facing camera arrived, and it was everywhere.
The soft pout is older than the internet — Marilyn Monroe and runway models used it to full the lips and cut sharper cheekbones.
Four Weddings and a Funeral put the nickname on the map — and into everyday language.
Japan’s purikura sticker-booth culture birthed the “duck mouth” — a playful, kawaii pose. Photo booths, naturally.
Zoolander turned the pout all the way up to absurd — years before the selfie made it real.
Front-facing cameras, a peace sign, and puckered lips became a whole generation’s default selfie.
Oxford Dictionaries added “duck face” to the modern lexicon. A pose became a word.
Two things made the duck face unstoppable: it instantly flatters — fuller lips, sharper jaw — and it gave people an irony buffer. A playful, slightly-exaggerated pose was permission to take the photo at all, back when pointing a camera at yourself still felt awkward.
That’s the whole idea behind our name. We didn’t call ourselves Duck Face to be cute about a pose — we named the exact instinct our business runs on. Give people permission to play, and they’ll hand you the moment.Everybody’s got a Duck Face — we just build the room where it comes out.
That’s the story behind the name. Next comes the movement behind the brand. Soon this page will host the live #DuckFace Wall: real posts from real events, updating as they happen. Catch us at an event, strike your best Duck Face, and tag #DuckFace to land on the wall.
Bring Duck Face to Your Event →