Lauren Wager is a color designer, author, and educator based in Columbus, Ohio. She founded Color Collective in 2010 as an online color resource for designers and artists, and has been sharing color inspiration and education ever since.

She is the author of four books published by Hoaki Books: Palette Perfect Vol. 1 (2018), Palette Perfect Vol. 2 (2022), Fashion Palettes (2024), and Nature's Living Color Palettes (2026). Her books have been carried in museum shops including the Louvre, Tate, and Uffizi Gallery, and have been translated into multiple languages.

Lauren teaches the Color Journal Course, an online class helping creatives develop their personal color voice, and works as works as an independent Color & Creative Director for brands and creative teams.

She also offers in-person personal color analysis at Salon Local in Columbus, helping clients find their exact color season — down to their best metals, whites, and neutrals — along with a custom digital color wallet and styling guide featuring specific clothing, makeup, and jewelry recommendations based on their results.

She lives in Columbus with her family, and can usually be found collecting rocks, stickers, and vintage wrapping paper, playing mahjong, or looking for color combinations in unexpected places.