Alexander Derrick’s American and Mauritanian roots, passion for both cultures, and desire to create an aspirational pan-African fashion culture, shape the thinking behind his Zulu Rose fashion brand. In the Juju Sparks design, Derrick comments on this desire of his to reconnect with deeper levels of African philosophy. However, instead of using specific traditional or esoteric motifs to represent the magic of African thought, Derrick used spark plugs to embody the highly charged, multilayered, polyrhythmic and metaphoric qualities of his New York fashion brand.