When we heard the story of America’s most famous poodle and then found this dress, we knew there was only one thing we could name it. Add some floof to your life, and read on to discover how sometimes, you can be a little too in demand:

Masterpiece was the loyal companion and prodigy of ‘Count’ Alexis Pulaski, a Russian-born entrepreneur, socialite, and dog breeder who immigrated to the USA in the mid-1920s. Before he left Russia, he bred and showed Doberman Pinschers, he continued this trend until 1939 when he took care of the Poodles of his future business partner Gilbert Kahn. Pulaski’s breed alliance shifted and the rest, as they say, is history.

51 West 52^nd Street, NY, was the next stop. Financed by Kahn and another rich Poodle lover R. Stuyvesant Pierrepont, Pulaski opened Poodles Inc. Poodles Inc. catered for everything the American high society breed of the 1950s needed and wanted. Any respectable Poodle worth their salt would be found sniffing around in NY’s finest Poodle Parlour and Boutique. Poodles Inc.

At the height of his career, he even had his own staff which included a bodyguard, groomer, and personal trainer whose previous resume experience included being the lion tamer at the Bronx Zoo. His many tricks included walking on two legs including both front and back although his most famous was to shake his head in earnest when Pulaski asked him “Are you a Communist Masterpiece?” His earnings were immense, reported at $11,000 a year, which is the equivalent of around $100,000 in today’s money.

His fame not only attracted the awe of his followers but interest in ownership, indeed the husband of Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth, Aly Kahn reportedly offered Pulaski $25,000 for Masterpiece. Although acknowledging his worth Pulaski refused to sell his beloved companion. Siring over 300 pups himself some famous owners of his offspring included Judy Garland, Eva Peron, and Gary Cooper.

In May of 1953 Pulaski, whilst on the shop floor of Poodles Inc called for Masterpiece to showcase him to attending customers. Masterpiece strangely didn’t respond to his master’s calling. The premises were frenziedly searched from top to bottom and in every nook and cranny, but Masterpiece had disappeared!!

NYPD was informed almost immediately. Thirteen states were on high alert, flyers were printed, and newspapers printed missing dog articles, but Masterpiece had vanished from the face of the earth.

Rewards were offered with a promise of no further action. Pulaski even examined Masterpiece’s recent litters for the pup who most resembled their father and subsequently offered ‘Just Johnny’ in exchange for the safe return of his beloved star. Other than one brief sighting of a small grey Poodle leaving Poodles Inc with a woman wearing a red coat no evidence materialised and nor did Masterpiece.

Dress is a gorgeous navy velvet and a size 10