Pasqualita — Dead Bride's wedding dresses store

Behind the glass window of a small wedding fashion store in the Mexican city of Chihuahua stands a tall slender figure dressed in a wedding dress. For almost 90 years, this goosebumps realistic mannequin in the La Popular store has been welcoming visitors who come here from all over America and Europe. Pale skin, veined hands, creases on the palms and worn nails — all this gives visitors confidence that Pasqualita, as she is popularly called, is not just a mannequin, but a perfectly preserved embalmed corpse.

Pasqualita, or "little Pasquala", first appeared in the window of this famous wedding shop on March 25, 1930. The wide-open glass eyes, real hair and the blush of the mannequin stupefied both passers-by and employees of the store itself. Soon someone noticed the striking resemblance of the mannequin to the recently deceased daughter of the owner of the store. Rumors began to spread.

According to legend, Pasquala Esperanza, the owner of the store, had a very beautiful daughter (whose name has been lost in history). The girl was supposed to marry her lover. By a tragic accident, on her wedding day, she was bitten by a black widow spider, and she died. Pasquala Esperanza grieved so much over her daughter's death that she allegedly mummified her body and installed it in a showcase so that she would always be a bride in the afterlife, failing to become her in the earthly one.

Rumors spread, local residents were outraged, and the owner of the store began receiving threatening phone calls. Pasquala Esperanza denied everything. The woman claimed that Pasqualita was just a very well-made and complex mannequin. But it was too late: no one believed her.

As the years passed, the story grew more and more incredible details. For example, it was said that a French magician in love with a mannequin appeared at night, revived her and they danced all night long, drank and celebrated their short date. There were also scary stories about the fact that the mannequin follows the store's visitors with its eyes and changes its position when no one is looking.

The current owner of the salon, Mario Gonzalez, wants the legend of the dead bride to live. Twice a week, her outfit is changed — behind the drawn curtains, as a tribute to her modesty. Only a few trusted employees of the store can dress up and undress her. One employee who saw her undressed says her body doesn't look like a mannequin's body.True fans of the legend leave flowers, candles and other gifts at the entrance to the store. Some consider Pasqualita a saint and believe in miracles that supposedly happen at her feet.

Mario Gonzalez is pleased with the fame and the crowds of customers that Pasqualita brings to the store, and is not going to change anything. On the window in which the famous bride is installed, it is written "La Casa De Pascualita" — "The House of Pascualita".When asked if the bride was really a mummy, he just smiled and shook his head.