The winning design was submitted by Hong and since he was considered a minority of Mexican and Chinese descent Neiman Marcus further burnished its image of being a multicultural friendly concern.

But he may have felt a strait-laced place like White & Case could either further burnish his image for incorruptibility - the television personality David Frost called him "a modern Untouchable" this week - or blunt his reputation for ruthlessness.

The party elder won, but the race further burnished the aura of a business upstart who once said, "All the evils come from aged business managers."

When the Hugel family introduced its lithe white called Gentil in 1992, it further burnished its credentials, dating to 1639, as one of Alsace's preminent producers.

As for the restaurant, whose reputation was burnished further after a small-time mobster fatally shot a customer last December, it is not being altered in any way.

Galdikas went on to further burnish Leakey's legacy by greatly expanding scientific knowledge of orangutan behavior, habitat and diet.

They further burnished their profession's image by accusing Mr. Louima's former lawyers of inventing the lie he once told about a police officer's telling him, during the alleged attack, that it was "Giuliani time."

Mr. Winters further burnished his image last year when he ordered police cars onto the train tracks near a local elementary school in a daring bid to force the freight line to reschedule trains so they were not passing when school let out.

Last Saturday, Sweetnorthernsaint further burnished his credentials with the fastest six-furlong workout of the morning, a "bullet" in racing parlance.

He won Wimbledon in grand style last year, and he further burnished his reputation in Australia, handling a very difficult draw down the stretch with telling poise and panache.