Mixing two high-profile sects like A-list stars and fashionistas will inevitably result in a bit of drama, but at Monday night's Costume Institute Gala, drama took on a whole new meaning. Catfights! Divas! Public Displays Of Aggression! From Christina Ricci's early departure to Peacock King's Jeff Zucker's bitchy avoidance of Darth Weinstein on the red carpet, everyone's claws were out on Monday night. Adding fuel to the fire, one married actress decided to show up to the event sans wedding ring amid rumours of a pending divorce. All the details, including Jennifer Aniston's fling-of-the-week's comments on whether or not the whole mushy affair is for real, after the jump.

As the NY Post reports, Ricci worked the red carpet like a pro, but ditched the party as soon as she learned that hostess Anna Wintour (Vogue EIC and most feared woman in New York) had opted to seat her far away from her boyfriend Kick Gurry (our new favourite "celeb" name, by the way!). And before the Gala even began, pissy Harvard boy Jeff Zucker reportedly made a very showy point to avoid Project Runway usurper Weinstein on the red carpet. Says a Post spy, "It was awkward." Awkward? More like the single most awesome sight we regret not seeing for ourselves.

As for the missing wedding ring, Liv Tyler showed up on the carpet after telling friends that "she and Langdon...married too young and that she'd started looking for a new apartment." But one bit of gossip from the drama-packed evening managed to put a smile on our face, courtesy of none other than John Mayer. After being accosted by questions regarding the status of his beachy fling with Jennifer Aniston, he told reporters, "This is not a scandal...This is not a problem. This needs no spin control. This is me living my life!" And on goes his recent trend of forcing us to like him however hard we fight it.

[Photo credits: Getty, Wireimage]

• COSTUME GALA'S SUPER-SNARKY [NY Post]
• IF LIV TYLER'S COSTUME COULD TALK [NYDN]

Tags: christina ricci | costume institute gala | drama kings and queens | getty | harvey weinstein | jeff zucker | jennifer aniston | john mayer | liv tyler | project runway | royston langdon | wireimage