Ivanovo has traditionally been called the Textile capital of Russia. Since most textile workers are women, it has also been known as the "City of Brides". Probably the most famous of the city's female natives was the postmodern French writer Nathalie Sarraute.
By the early 20th century, Ivanovo competed with Lodz (also a part of the Russian Empire at that time) for a title of the main textile production centre in Europe. As the workers' living conditions were appaling, the strikes were frequent. One of these strikes led to the first Russian revolution. The first Soviet in the world was also set up in this city in 1905.