Collection lists are great, but with both the wrapper and list element, lists can add significant layers to the DOM tree. This is especially amplified in use cases where designers want to show only one item.

My recommendation would be to add a new element called a 'Collection Item' which could be placed anywhere on the page, but would only display one item at a time. Designers could still filter and sort the item within the collection, but having it be outside a list could help page speed while making maintenance of collection embeds easier.