Remember that gorgeous editorial Steven Meise l shot with Raquel Zimmermann featuring "before" and "after" looks? Okay, which one? W's a little miffed that Meisel shot a nearly identical story for Vogue Italia -- something we pointed out ages ago -- and rumor has it that the photog may have financed that shoot on W's dime.

Vogue Italia's "Day and Night," left; W's "Transformers," right

The two shoots are not completely alike; after all W used 10 models including Linda Evangelista, Karen Elson and Jessica Stam, while Vogue Italia only used Zimmermann. And Karl Templer styled for Vogue Italia while Edward Enninful styled for W.

Still, the theme, and even some of the poses, of the two spreads are remarkably similar and they're both in black and white, thus making the similarities even more apparent.

Sure this doesn't seem like that big of a deal -- fashion continually recycles itself, even if after only a month -- but WWD, at least, thinks there might be repercussions:

"The fallout will be worth watching. If it damages W s relationship with Meisel, [Stefano] Tonchi will lose out on a big-name photographer hes craved for the magazine. If Tonchi doesnt act, it will demonstrate the lengths a fashion magazine editor will go to appease a photographer who holds considerable influence in the industry."

What's Tonchi going to do, go to Condé Nast and issue a recall of all August Italian Vogues? Mesiel's a brilliant photog -- he just got a little lazy. It happens to the best of us. I got lazy when it came to the conclusion of this post...The End. [WWD]