THE STORY

My name is Hydiah, but you might know me as Hydiah Emerald—a 27-year-old creator from Chicago. From a young age, I knew I wanted a creative life, free from the constraints of a 9-to-5. Inspired by Tumblr and shows like Washington Heights, I dreamed of leaving my mark. In high school, I launched “Emeralds Creations,” the beginning of something bigger than myself.

Life, however, wasn’t easy. I navigated emotionally abusive relationships, toxic friendships, and learned my dad had bipolar disorder. During my junior year, I experienced my first mental breakdown and suicide attempt. Unaware of what depression was, I kept everything bottled up, lost myself, and struggled to move forward.

After high school, my mom connected me with a mentor, and I started Hydiah Emerald. In 2016, I was accepted to LIU Brooklyn in NYC, a dream come true. My time there renewed my spirit, but in 2017, my dad passed away a week before my first fashion show. I shut down emotionally and returned home, unable to finish the semester. A series of moves, setbacks, and another suicide attempt followed. In 2018, I was finally diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, which prompted me to seek alternative ways to heal outside of prescribed medication.

Through it all, creating became my therapy. It gave voice to the words I couldn’t say and helped me process the chaos. Someone once said, “Creatives are basically over-thinkers who can turn chaos into art.” For me, Hydiah Emerald is my way of saying, You’re not alone in the disorder.

Hydiahemerald LLC is made in Chicago.

Hydiahemerald LLC was founded by artist Hydiah Scott in 2017. Hydiahemerald is a visual art brand designed to unleash your creative ideas and bring them to life.