As a young man, Derisly joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. There he learned the value of precision, craftsmanship, and engineering excellence. Working on aircraft reinforced an appreciation for the relationship between form and function, and the importance of creating things that are both beautiful and enduring.

His journey later took him around the world.

Through travel, Derisly developed a deep appreciation for architecture, design, culture, and the natural world. Yet wherever he went, two passions remained constant: a fascination with how things work and a desire to create things of beauty.

Driven by both creativity and innovation, he went on to study Design Engineering at Massey University in Auckland, where art and engineering began to merge into a single vision.

Years later, during a period of reflection back home in New Zealand, Derisly found himself spending meaningful time with his mother once again. Together they shared conversations about creativity, making, design, and the satisfaction that comes from bringing an idea into existence.

Those moments reignited something that had been quietly waiting for years.

Surrounded by the extraordinary beauty of Aotearoa, inspired by the birds of the Motueka estuary, the movement of nature, and the landscapes he called home, Derisly began imagining something entirely new.

Not simply lighting.

Functional sculpture.

Art that could illuminate a space.

Design that could tell a story.

What followed was a five-year journey of experimentation, learning, refinement, persistence, and growth.

Every piece begins with months of conceptual development. Forms are sketched, modelled, tested, refined, and perfected before production begins. The process combines modern digital manufacturing with traditional craftsmanship, allowing complex organic forms to emerge with precision while retaining the character of a handcrafted object.

Using sustainable wood-infused PLA derived from renewable plant-based materials, individual pieces can take more than 80 hours to create before undergoing extensive hand-finishing, sanding, assembly, and inspection.

Nothing is rushed.

Nothing is mass-produced.

Every piece is created with intention.

Today, Derisly Design sits at the intersection of nature, craftsmanship, engineering, and art.

The Founder’s Collection reflects that journey.

Conche, inspired by the timeless geometry and flowing elegance of the ocean’s spiral forms.

Dandelion, inspired by possibility, transformation, and the beauty of fleeting moments.

Wingbeat, inspired by the mechanics of birds wings in flight.

Together, these pieces tell a story of movement, resilience, wonder, and home.

But perhaps Derisly Design is about something even deeper.

It is about honouring creativity.

Honouring craftsmanship.

Honouring the influence of family.

And having the courage to finally share with the world what has been quietly taking shape for years.

Because sometimes the most meaningful creations are not made in a moment.

They are built over a lifetime.

Inspired by Nature.
Crafted in New Zealand.
Designed to Illuminate.