Costume Designer Salvador Perez Teases 'Mindy Project' Exhibit -- And About That 'Pitch Perfect' #Sleevegate (Exclusive)

The exhibit -- created in honor of the show's sixth and final season on Hulu -- was curated by the series' costume designer, Salvador Perez, who told TooFab he had the daunting task of selecting just 40 outfits from the thousands he's styled since the show's premiere in 2012.

"We've done little mini exhibits because the fans love the clothes, but this is a comprehensive exhibit of six seasons of clothes from 'The Mindy Project,'" Perez said. "It's a huge honor, and it's been very interesting to go through the archives and go through literally six seasons of clothes. I remember specifically why each outfit's there and then to also pair it down to 40 outfits after -- we probably had 2,000 outfits on 'The Mindy Project' -- and there's only gonna be 40 in the exhibit."

The exhibit at the Paley Center's Beverly Hills location is free and opens to the public Aug. 26. It'll also feature costumes worn by the cast from seasons past as well as life-size episodic photography, costume sketches and behind-the-scenes video segments.

"They let me curate it myself," Perez told TooFab of the exhibit. "It was sort of like, I picked my favorite outfits and the pieces that had the most meaning to me and pieces that told stories throughout the show."

When asked what his favorite outfit was and if it made the cut, Perez said, "That's like asking me my favorite child! All of my favorites are there."

Perez was also the costume designer for the "Pitch Perfect" franchise. Back in March, reports surfaced accusing the designer of size discrimination after behind-the-scenes images of Rebel Wilson and Ester Dean posted to Instagram featuring the Barden Bellas decked out in sailor costumes. (See the images below.)

"I made halter tops for everybody, but Hana Mae Lee, Ester and Rebel were like, 'I don't feel comfortable with this, can you please make it a short-sleeve shirt?'" Perez told TooFab.

"The images were released of the girls in the sailor costumes, showing Rebel Wilson and Ester Dean both had short sleeves, and most of the girls had halter tops. Well, what [people] didn't have was the photo of Hana Mae Lee in short sleeves. They were like, 'Oh, they covered the big girls,' and I'm like, 'Whoa, back up.'"

"I changed the design to accommodate them, not the other way around," Perez added. "I didn't put them in short sleeves. I would've put them all identical, but they said, 'I don't feel comfortable in that.' So I as a designer, I accommodated the costume to them."

The incident was quickly coined #SleeveGate on the internet, which Perez attempted to address on Twitter the day news broke of his alleged discrimination.

"I let each actor decide how their costume fit, it was their choice, Rebel, Ester & Hana Mae wanted sleeves, #sleevegate," Perez tweeted March 27.

Perez told TooFab he's been working with the "Pitch Perfect" cast for six years, saying, "the fittings go very fast because I know their likes and dislikes. You learn that in the first one. You figure out who likes the padded bras, who doesn't want to wear this, who likes the miniskirts, who doesn't wanna show off their arms, that kind of stuff."

Perez said the design process for the third movie of the franchise -- which hits theaters Christmas Day -- was "so much smoother" because the cast had become his "family." And why would anyone want to upset their family?

"As a costume designer, you don't have to wear it," he said. "You can have all the ideas in the world, but the actor has to wear it, so I really want to collaborate with my actors and get their input."