NEW YORK: Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway and Cameron Diaz were among the celebrities to embrace the punk theme at Monday night’s Met gala, the fundraiser at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that’s affectionately known as ”the party of the year.”

But Beyonce, the event’s honorary chairwoman, seemed the event’s grand dame on the red carpet that might rival the Oscars in celebrity wattage. Wearing a flame-motif gown with long gloves and a long train by Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, Beyonce was one of the last arrivals, following in the studded heel footsteps of Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence and Jennifer Lopez.

Many stars embraced the big Costume Institute exhibit they were there to celebrate: ”Punk: From Chaos to Couture”.

Beyonce’s co-chairs for the event included Tisci, who escorted Rooney Mara, who wore a white lace gown with exaggerated shoulders and a heavy-hardware zip front.

Mara said she never went through a punk fashion phase but ”I was definitely a punk”.

Tisci also dressed Kim Kardashian, who has seen much of her maternity wardrobe reviewed – almost always negatively – on social media on a daily basis. The online critics have more fodder with her floral-print, high-neck gown.

In a more classic style – but likely tabloid fodder anyway – were Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn, walking the red carpet as a couple.

Sarah Jessica Parker donned an oversized feather mohawk by Philip Treacy that complemented her graffiti-splashed and slashed gown by Giles Deacon. ”I feel that I wanted to pay attention to the theme,” she said on the Met’s red-carpet live online show.

Cameron Diaz and Anne Hathaway both said they were influenced by the punk scene – especially the music – when they were growing up. Diaz came with Kristen Stewart and Stella McCartney, who designed both of their outfits. Diaz’s cobalt-colored cape dress had a severe studded belt.

”I feel so chic.”

Hathaway showed off a short blond hairdo, not dissimilar to Miley Cyrus’, and a vintage burned-out Valentino gown. Hathaway said her inspiration for the outfit was Blondie’s Debbie Harry, who was just a few feet ahead on the red carpet in a glitzy studded blazer by Tommy Hilfiger.

”Punk rock has a unique culture and distinct style that I really admire,” Hilfiger told The Associated Press earlier in the day. ”Music of all genres has always been a central influence in my designs. I tend to gravitate more toward classic American rock, but I listen to and love punk rock albums from The Ramones and Blondie.”

The Met gala traditionally mixes Hollywood stars, fashion designers and top models. It’s largely orchestrated by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief. She wore a hot-pink floral Chanel gown, which she said is a color that symbolises the punk movement. The edgy theme could have thrown some people off their fashion game tonight.

”New York has been in a complete state of wondering what to wear tonight,” she said.