I don't usually take time to rant but I'm not sure how to handle this....

I've scheduled a shoot with a Model in which I styled and provided wardrobe.

This evening the Model appears in a shoot with another Photographer wearing an almost identical outfit, exact same dress, but in a different color which She must have went out and bought.

I feel the look was stolen and recreated undermining My vision for the upcoming shoot.....now if I shoot the 'look' I will look like the copycat.

Am I right to feel this way?

Unless you designed the dress yourself, no you don't have claim to a dress design. And unless the other photog is super established, like shooting multi-million campaigns and you happen to use the exact same lighting setup, no one is going to notice or care. You'll sometimes see models in the exact same outfit because it was either a group shoot or she brings the same few outfits around with her.

Moral of the story, don't provide model with pic of wardrobe until closer to shoot date.

Could be a case of another photog that is jealous of you and is trying to undermine you

Be thankful she showed the initiative to practice for your shoot.  Why worry about what other photographers do?

Complicated.

Some people are proprietary about shoot;
Some are open.

In the academic world people share openly;
From a national security perspective it's spying.

Different paradigms.

If you're from a proprietary perspective, yes, you have a problem.
If you're from a sharing/teaching/collaborative view, you should be flattered.

Still complicated and I on tiny iPhone but my strategy is to be good!
I bring better togs to my shoot to learn what they can do with same model, same lights.
I also bring lesser mortals for them to learn too.
Don't view it as negative competition.

If you want to be proprietary--then you might want to make that expectation clear in emails, verbally, in release or MOU--Memo Of Understanding, texts, etc. so there is little room for misunderstanding.

Then, as someone also posted, control the concept till later in the cycle to reduce loss of control.

Hope this helps a smidge!👍🏼

Oops--didn't direct answer if you should feel that concept stolen!
Depends how clearly you communicated your intent that it be solo/unique work.

What I read is that she hasn't followed your mental model of appropriate behavior and my response is: does she even know she's off script?

It works for both positive and negative.
Reader's Digest had an article about 40 years ago with approximate title:
"How will you know if I don't tell you!"
It pointed out that most people are not mind readers.
For people to know what you're thinking, you often have to tell them!

When I work with wonderful women, I sometimes keep it too professional! LOL let me explain...
I assume they know that they are phenomenal!
Then I realize I never told them that but assume they know but find they've been stuck with ugly-duck syndrome. Ouch!
I assumed, I communicated telepathically only, I failed to communicate.
No harm is done but I have not encouraged a fellow professional appropriately 😢

My point is: examine your m.o.--do they have a reasonable chance to know what you want and don't want?
Are your expectations reasonable?

###?

PS. OP Your work is good. I tend not to respond to posts from profiles that are subpar. But I looked at my PMs to you and I don't think I ever told you that! Another failure to communicate LOL

No harm done, in this case.

Another example, I sometimes take time to send congrats to POTD winners.
Most appreciate the compliment, recognition, kudos -- or at least feign it! 😉
One person's response was negative--don't you think I can read for myself?
Many people say, thanks, wouldn't have otherwise noticed!
Can't win them all--of that I can most certainly assure you.
But you can increase odds with good communication!

I'm just completely floored.

Thank You all for the thoughtful insights.

Man, that's just bad luck.  Did you show her your idea and she copied it ?  Or was it just dumb luck she duplicated the look ?  That's the reason I am very vague about my concepts until the shoot itself,  I'd hate to give the model my idea and she beats me to the punch.  If you didn't show her and she just hit on it by herself then it's just bad luck. Maybe the worst luck I've seen in a while ... except maybe for the hurricane barreling towards me.

Models often ask where I purchased an outfit, and I gladly provide them with the source. Heck, sometimes, I use the outfit as part of the barter on the rates. I've even cleared old inventory from the prop room by having a model wear and take. Each time, I know the model will be using that same outfit for another shoot. No harm to me. I got the shot I wanted.

In fact, I love seeing the same outfit used on a different shoot. Some are more creative than I was. I learn. Some are not. Shrug.

I recently commissioned a dress from a designer. The models are loving it, and each has asked for the link to the designer. I do hope they each buy one. If the designer sells a lot of them, I can leverage that for a better deal on the next commission.

I see no down side. I'm not fashion photographer. Fashions are just another prop for my work. If the focus of your work is on the fashion, get a Nondisclosure Agreement signed prior to the the discussion of the idea. I did work on one project with another photographer who wanted each model to sign a NDA. Of course, some models had no clue and posted selfies and such. Is it a technical violation of the NDA? Or is it a violation for actual economic impact?

Is this couture wardrobe?

Or is this the same generic off the rack crap that you can purchase at any store?

You can walk into 6 different shops and purchase the same outfit with a different tag, none of it is original, none of it unique.

Do it better.  No one will think you copied them.  They'll think they copied you.